ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Sexual Violence: Vulnerable Victims

Alun Cairns: To ask the Attorney-General what steps the Crown Prosecution Service is taking to support vulnerable witnesses in cases of sexual violence and abuse.

Oliver Heald: It is vital to ensure that vulnerable witnesses are able to give their evidence effectively. The range of special measures offered to vulnerable witnesses includes giving evidence by way of live link, video recorded evidence in chief and screens in court.
	There is also a comprehensive network of joint police/CPS witness care units.

Vulnerable Witnesses

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Attorney-General what special measures Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors may offer to vulnerable witnesses to support them in giving evidence.

Oliver Heald: It is vital to ensure that vulnerable witnesses are able to give their evidence effectively. The range of special measures offered to vulnerable witnesses includes giving evidence by way of live link, video recorded evidence in chief and screens in court.
	There is also a comprehensive network of joint police/CPS witness care units.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cautions the Crown Prosecution Service has approved for indictable-only offences in each quarter since 2008.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold central records showing the number of cautions approved for indictable only offences. This information could be obtained only by examining all of the files where a caution has been approved, which would incur disproportionate cost.
	A table containing information on the total number of pre-charge cautions authorised for all offences, rather than just indictable only offences, has been deposited in the Library of the House along with a table showing the number of indictable only cases that were dropped post-charge in favour of a caution. Information has been split between simple and conditional caution for ease of reference.
	Official data showing the number of simple cautions issued are contained within the official statistics relating to sentencing, criminal court proceedings and offenders brought to justice, maintained and issued by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what estimate he has made the cost of fraud committed against the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last five years.

Oliver Heald: In addition to the recently discovered fraud resulting from false taxi journey invoices that has a cost of approximately £1 million over the last five years, the cost of fraud committed against the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in each of the last five years was reported as follows:
	
		
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Losses (£) 0 0 0 18,000 0 
			 Number of incidents 0 0 0 1 0 
		
	
	The loss in 2010-11 relates to the loss or theft of a mobile telephone to which £18,000 of telephone calls was charged before the loss or theft was discovered. Following this incident the affected Directorate reviewed its processes for scrutinising this expenditure, undertook a full inventory check of all mobile telephones and electronic devices, and issued advice to the relevant officer.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what steps the Crown Prosecution Service is taking to improve its internal anti-fraud controls at (a) its west midlands division and (b) all other regional divisions.

Oliver Heald: Following the discovery of fraudulent payments to a supplier in its West Midlands Area the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) immediately commissioned investigations to ascertain the extent of the fraudulent activity, how the prescribed controls were circumvented and whether the controls were being applied correctly in other parts of the organisation.
	These investigations are ongoing. When they have concluded the findings will be reported and, if appropriate, recommendations on changes to the control framework will be implemented across the CPS. These recommendations will be considered in light of recent events and implemented as necessary.
	At the same time it commissioned investigations the CPS put in place a number of additional mechanisms to ensure that all transactions originating from west midlands were subject to additional scrutiny and to gain assurance over the regularity of expenditure. The CPS has also sought assurance from all area and HQ business managers that controls are being applied effectively and in accordance with the departmental guidance.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 364W, on the Crown Prosecution Service, what the average sum agreed as financial consideration for entering into a confidentiality clause was in respect of the compromise agreements referred to in the answer; and what the total cost to the Crown Prosecution Service has been of entering into these agreements.

Oliver Heald: Not all compromise agreements since 2010 have included a specific financial consideration for confidentiality. For those that did, the average sum was £214.
	The total cost to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of entering into compromise agreements during this period is £2,478,033.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 364W, on the Crown Prosecution Service, how many of the compromise agreements referred to in the Answer involved a waiver of the right to make claims of (a) unfair dismissal, (b) discrimination and (c) entitlements to redundancy payments.

Oliver Heald: All 46 of the compromise agreements made by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) since 2010 have included a waiver to (a) future unfair dismissal and (b) discrimination claims. 10 included the additional waiver against (c) entitlements to redundancy payments.

Domestic Violence

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions the Crown Prosecution Service took no further action with regard to a suspect whose file had been marked with a domestic violence flag in each of the last five years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has recorded the following information with regard to the number of occasions no further action has been taken in cases flagged as domestic violence:
	
		
			  Domestic violence flagged pre-charge decisions (PCD) Domestic violence flagged PCD where no further action was taken (NFA) Percentage NFA 
			 2008 79,195 20,467 25.8 
			 2009 87,499 22,712 26.0 
			 2010 100,460 27,094 27.0 
			 2011 97,642 25,716 26.3 
			 2012 88,202 22,746 25.8

Rape: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  whether a second specialist prosecutor's decision is sought in all cases where the Crown Prosecution Service decides to drop or substantially alter charges against a rape suspect;
	(2)  whether a second specialist prosecutor's decision is sought in all cases where the Crown Prosecution Service decides to take no further action regarding the file of a rape suspect referred to it for a charging decision.

Oliver Heald: All Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) rape specialist prosecutors, deciding to drop or substantially alter a rape charge, are required to obtain the agreement of a second rape specialist prosecutor before a final decision is taken.
	The same procedure also applies to any decisions made to take no further action on a rape file referred for a charging decision.

INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY COMMITTEE

Members: Payments

Edward Leigh: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many duplicate payments to hon. Members has the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) made in error during the last 12 months; how IPSA has recovered such payments; and how such payments are reported.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated 25 March 2013
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question relating to duplicate payments to Members of Parliament.
	IPSA does not record duplicate payments systematically and providing the requested information could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.
	If a duplicate payment were to be identified, the method of recovery would depend on the original purpose of the payment. The rules on the recovery of overpayments are set out in Chapter Two of the MPs' Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses, available on our website:
	www.parliamentarystandards.org.uk
	Where an MP makes a repayment to IPSA, this is reported in the regular two-monthly publication round.

Staff

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many staff in each pay band are employed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Charles Walker: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated 25 March 2013
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for staffing figures.
	IPSA currently employs staff in the following pay bands:
	
		
			 Grade Salary range Number of staff 
			 A £19,500 to £25,000 1 
			 B £23,000 to £30,500 19 
			 C £30,500 to £37,000 7 
			 D £35,000 to £46,000 4 
			 E £46,000 to £61,500 8 
			 F £60,000 to £73,000 1 
			 G — 1 
			 SCS-equivalent — 1 
		
	
	The above figures include 2 temporary staff members directly employed by IPSA and exclude those on secondments, whose pay is administered by their home departments. Other temporary staff are engaged and paid through recruitment agencies.

PRIME MINISTER

G8

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he has given to the hosting or participating in a G8 Investment Conference in Northern Ireland following the G8 Summit at Lough Erne in June 2013.

David Cameron: As I said on the day I announced the G8 would be hosted at Lough Erne, I want to use this as an opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland to the world as a modern and dynamic part of the United Kingdom that is open for business, with huge potential for investment and tourism. I would welcome plans for a G8 investment conference in Northern Ireland.

Syria

Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister when he last discussed Syria with Mr Tony Blair.

David Cameron: I have met Tony Blair in his role as the Special Representative of the Middle East Quartet on a number of occasions, most recently on 6 February 2013 and 13 September 2012. During these meetings we discussed the prospects for the Middle East Peace Process and the vital role the US has in leading an effort to revive this, supported by European, Arab and other nations. There were no detailed discussions on Syria.

SCOTLAND

Armed Forces: Electoral Register

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many family members of (a) serving and (b) former Scottish service personnel are registered to vote in Scotland.

David Mundell: Registration is a private matter and we do not collect information on whether or not family members of service personnel are registered to vote.
	Under section 59 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, the Ministry of Defence must make appropriate provision to inform service personnel and their spouses of their rights under that Act. Under the Act, members of the forces; people employed overseas in the service of the Crown; people employed overseas by the British Council; and the spouses or civil partners of those groups are entitled to register under a service declaration. The Electoral Register does not differentiate between these various groupings.

Armed Forces: Electoral Register

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness amongst the military community of voting registration procedures.

Michael Moore: The Government are committed to members of the armed forces being able to take their full part in the democratic process, in accordance with the armed forces covenant.
	The Ministry of Defence works closely with the Cabinet Office and the Electoral Commission to raise awareness of voting registration procedures, including through an annual campaign to promote service voter registration. As part of the annual campaign, a defence instruction notice is issued, and its key messages reinforced at unit level through posted routine orders. In addition, unit registration officers are expected to hold service registration days at all units.

Armed Forces: Electoral Register

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish service personnel have been able to re-register as a service voter after their previous such registration had lapsed in the last 12 months.

Michael Moore: All service personnel are eligible to re-register as service voters when their existing registration lapses, however registration is a private matter and we do not collect information on whether or not personnel are registered to vote.

Scottish Parliament

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of his Department's progress in completing pre-release inspection of files relating to the creation of the Scottish Parliament; and when he expects to release the remaining such files.

David Mundell: There are 38 files which fall within the scope of the question: 36 have been reviewed by Scotland Office officials in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)—which applies to these files. Officials are expected to complete their review of the remaining two files during the week commencing 8 April 2013.
	Of the 36 files which have been reviewed, 31 have been released, four have been passed to the Cabinet Office for further review and 1 has been fully withheld as it contains personal information (absolute exemption under s40 of FOIA).

Social Rented Housing

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many lettings of (a) one bedroom and (b) two bedroom socially rented housing units were made to existing tenants in the socially rented sector in each local authority area in (i) Scotland and (ii) Wales in the last 12 months.

David Mundell: Housing in Scotland is a devolved matter. The Scotland Office does not hold the information requested for Scotland, nor for Wales.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants in her Department have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010.

Michael Penning: Since 2010, no civil servants in my Department have been subject to such an agreement. This response does not include reference to the Official Secrets Act which all civil servants are required to sign as part of their employment contract.

TRANSPORT

Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010.

Norman Baker: We have taken “non disclosure agreements” to mean compromise agreements between the department and individual members of staff, and CoT3 agreements - an ACAS Conditional Settlement Form - resulting from Employment Tribunals.
	The table below provides figures for the central Department for Transport and five of its Executive Agencies - the Driving Standards Agency, the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency, the Highways Agency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Vehicle Certification Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency. (No figures are available for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency).
	
		
			 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 Between 16 and 24 15 9 <5 
		
	
	For the year 2010 a numerical range has been used because the data for one Agency is held in a financial year form and it is not possible in the timescale to establish which of the identified agreements were undertaken in the final 3 months of the financial year 2009/10.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects on the East coast mainline of the construction of High Speed 2; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: High Speed 2 will transform journey times, capacity and connectivity between major cities of the north, midlands and London. Journey time improvements will be possible from new classic-compatible high speed trains serving destinations on the east coast main line north of Leeds following completion of phase two of the scheme. HS2 will also free up space for additional commuter, regional and freight services on the east coast main line offering more opportunity for services to meet local needs. Latest estimates published in August 2012 suggest HS2 will deliver benefits of £2 for every £1 spent, including impacts on the east coast main line.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the recent judgement handed down in R (on application of Buckinghamshire County Council and Others) v Secretary of State for Transport 2013 on the (a) length of the consultation and (b) announcement of the final design of the Exceptional Hardship Scheme for those affected by phase 2 of High Speed 2; what his most recent estimate is of the likely date of the final announcement; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what changes he has made to the consultation on the Exceptional Hardship Scheme for those affected by phase 2 of High Speed 2 as a result of the recent judgement handed down in the case of R (on application of Buckinghamshire County Council and Others) v Secretary of State for Transport 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The recent judgment has no effect on the EHS for phase two of HS2. We will not be altering the length of the consultation, or altering the consultation in any other way. Subject to the outcome of the current consultation, which ends on 29 April 2013, we anticipate announcing the scheme later this year as the Government sees a strong case for providing early appropriate assistance for those who may be suffering exceptional hardship.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Khalid Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the jobs associated with the development phase of High Speed 2 will be based in (a) Greater London and (b) Birmingham.

Simon Burns: As at the end of February, there were 364 staff within the core HS2 Ltd organisation engaged in the development of High Speed 2. This figure includes directly employed staff as well as secondees and development partner staff. Five employees are currently based in Birmingham with the remainder in London.
	HS2 Ltd anticipates the number of employees outside London in the future will reflect the places the network will serve. To this end, the company will be conducting a strategic review in due course as to where HS2 staff will be located during the development phase of the project.

Motorcycles: Driving Tests

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department will publish the results of its review into motorcycle driver testing.

Stephen Hammond: As part of the motorcycle test review, the Department for Transport is currently undertaking research to see if it is feasible and safe to carry out the module 1 manoeuvres on the road.
	The Department expects to receive a final research report in the next few months. Once the report has been received and considered, the Department will make a further statement on the future of the motorcycle test review.

Overtime Payments

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) average and (b) total cost of overtime payments was for each pay grade in his Department in the last 12 months.

Norman Baker: The average cost per employee and the total cost of overtime payments in the Department for Transport including its six executive agencies in the last 12 months is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Average cost per employee 934.48 
			 Total cost 16,492,631.70 
		
	
	A breakdown of these payments by each pay grade can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the estimated Resource DEL underspend in financial year 2012-13 of £700 million as set out in Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book which service areas in his Department have received reduced resources; what the amounts of resource reduction were; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book shows the difference between Budget 2012 plans and department's latest estimates of their full-year position.
	In addition to forecast underspend against final plans, since Budget 2012 the Department for Transport surrendered £153m of RDEL at supplementary estimates, of which £151m is available for future years through the Budget Exchange mechanism, and switched £360m from its resource budget to the capital budget.
	The Department will set out its spending for the year in detail in its annual accounts in the usual way.

Road Traffic: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of congestion on the roads in Brigg and Goole constituency.

Stephen Hammond: Estimates of road congestion levels for parliamentary constituencies are not held centrally.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) his Department in each of the last three years;
	(2)  which telephone lines are operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible for public enquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

Norman Baker: The information requested has been provided in the table below.
	
		
			 Agency Principal access no Service provider Callers charged? Yes/No Revenue retained by service provider Revenue retained by DfT/Agency? 
			 DfTc 0300 330 3000 The service provider was KCom until 21 March 2013, but changed on 21 to Virgin Media Business Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued. 
			 DSA 0300 200 1122 BT Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued 
			  0300 200 1155     
			  0300 200 1177     
			  0300 200 1133     
			  0300 200 1144     
			  0300 200 1166     
			 DVLA Public: All of the DVLA’s contact numbers have moved to Virgin Media Business from BT between November 2012 and January 2013. Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued from the 0300 numbers. 
			  0300 790 6801     
			  0300 790 6802     
			  0300 790 6806     
			  0300 123 4321     
			  Premium rate numbers for Motor Trade    However, the DVLA does operate three premium rate services for the use of the motor trade. The revenue generated from these numbers over the last three years is shown below: 2010-11-£922,382 2011-12-£740,144 2012-13(1)-£753,899 (Provisional Outturn—11 months) 
			  0906 139 3837     
		
	
	
		
			  0906 765 7585     
			  0906 185 8585     
			  0906 302 1234 (this line receives around six calls a year and is shortly to be discontinued)     
			 HA 0800 0186969 Verizon UK No   
			  0844 6931448 (press no not public) Colt Technology Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued 
			  0300 1235000 BT No   
			  0845 7504030(2) BT Yes   
			  08459556575 Cable and Wireless Yes   
			 MCA 0870 (local rate) BT Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued 
			 VOSA 0300 123 9000 BT Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued 
			 VCA 0300 330 5797 Daisy Communications Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued 
			  0300 330 5799(local rate numbers)     
			 AAIB 01252 510300 Alternative Networks Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued. 
			  01252 512299 (24 hour accident reporting line)     
			 MAIB 023 8039 5500 Virgin Media Yes We do not have data of what revenue has been retained by the service provider. No revenue has been accrued. 
			  023 8023 2527 BT    
			 RAIB 01332 253300 Maintel Yes We do not have data on provider’s costs and revenue for individual line. No revenue has been accrued. 
			  01332 253333     
			 (1) DVLA revenue from premium rate numbers—The figure for 2012-13 is provisional outturn and is such is subject to year-end audit adjustments. The figures for both 2010-11 and 2011-12 are reported in financial years. The revenue, which DVLA receives from the motor trade lines, is used to offset normal running costs. (2) This is the old number for the Highways Agency Information Line (HAIL). Calls to this number are redirected to the new HAIL number: 0300 1235000. The old number has been retained because it may still appear in old literature.

Tonnage Tax

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) proportion and (b) number of ships under each flag registered by company groups for inclusion in the tonnage tax scheme in each year since 2001 traded to or from UK ports in each such year.

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not hold the information as requested.

Transport: Finance

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will establish a generic exceptional hardship scheme to help those affected by national infrastructure projects as opposed to designing bespoke schemes for each project; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: A generic exceptional hardship scheme would not be helpful. Exceptional hardship schemes need to be targeted at the specific hardship suffered by the people affected by a particular infrastructure scheme, where circumstances warrant it. Where the Government decides such a scheme is required, the previous scheme might provide a useful template but this would depend on the particular circumstances of the case.

CABINET OFFICE

British Nationals Abroad: Electoral Register

Roger Gale: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his estimate is of the number of expatriate UK citizens who have lived overseas for more than 15 years and are as a consequence not allowed to vote in UK general elections.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question to ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his estimate is of the number of expatriate UK citizens who have lived overseas for more than 15 years and are as a consequence not allowed to vote in UK general elections.
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not collect information regarding UK citizens resident outside the UK, and so is unable to answer your question.
	For more information about UK migrants abroad, please see the World Bank publication “Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011”
	http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLAC/Resources/Factbook2011-Ebook.pdf
	Alternatively, an individual country breakdown for Europe can be found on the Eurostat website:
	http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/population/data/database

Constituencies

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2013, Official Report, column 439W, on constituencies, if he will change the range of questions used in future censuses to help overcome any obstacles to using the census as the basis for boundary reviews.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated 14 March 2013
	As Director General of the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about whether the range of questions used in future censuses will be changed to help overcome obstacles to using the census as the basis for boundary reviews (148429).
	The Office for National Statistics is currently engaged in a major programme of work, the Beyond 2011 Programme, to assess options for meeting future requirements for population and small area socio-demographic statistics. At this stage it is too early to know whether or not there will be another census in England and Wales and, if so, what questions will be asked.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Food

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the food supplied as operational rations to UK armed forces is sourced in the UK; and what steps he is taking to increase that proportion.

Mark Francois: For armed forces personnel serving on operations, overseas exercises and HM Ships there is a single food supply contract with Purple Foodservice Solutions Ltd (PFS). PFS lists approximately 1,150 different food-related items for the armed forces in the core range price list. Currently, they estimate that approximately 60% of lines listed, excluding fresh produce, are sourced from suppliers within the UK. The percentage of UK produced goods changes regularly as a result of seasonality, value for money incentives and changes of supplier. All food procured through the PFS contract is produced to UK and EU production standards, farm assurance or equivalent.
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is bound by European Union Public Procurement Directives which demand fair and open competition for all food contracts involving the expenditure of public funds. The directives do not permit the MOD to specify only British products or to only source products from a particular region.

Armed Forces: Housing

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) length of contract and (b) other terms are of the private finance initiative with Bannockburn Homes Ltd in respect of service family accommodation for Redford and Dreghorn Barracks.

Mark Francois: The private finance initiative contract with Bannockburn Homes Limited was let in 1999 for 20 years and expires on 17 August 2019. Further details about the contract can be found at the following website:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/infrastructure_data_pfi.htm
	Despite the announced future closures of Craigiehall and part of Redford Barracks, there is still a requirement for service families accommodation in the Edinburgh area, including the PFI properties, to meet the continuing demand from personnel based at other sites in the region.

Armed Forces: Housing Benefit

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 74W, on armed forces: housing benefit, what the outcome was of the meeting between the Minister of Personnel, Veterans and Welfare and Lord Freud regarding housing benefit and the armed forces held in January 2013.

Mark Francois: holding answer 1 March 2013
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 March 2013, Official Report, column 685W.

Army: Redundancy

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide the Government Actuary's estimate of the total remuneration package, including pension and redundancy, from leaving aged 39 to age 65 for a Major on pay level 6 (a) made redundant at 15 years 364 days' pensionable service and (b) made redundant at 16 years' pensionable service with more than three years remaining on their current contract.

Mark Francois: The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) has based its estimate upon two scenarios—redundancy at 15 years 364 days pensionable service and redundancy at 16 years pensionable service. The GAD has estimated the discounted present capital value of pension and redundancy payments, made between age 39 and age 65 to a member of Armed Forces Pension Scheme 75 holding major's rank, pay level 6 and aged 39.
	The following assumptions were used in preparing these estimates: the discount rate is 5% per annum, consumer price index inflation is 2% per annum, there is no allowance for death before age 65 and, in the 16 year scenario, the individual opts for full resettlement commutation.
	The resultant estimates are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Discounted present capital values of pension and redundancy payments up to age 65 
			 £000 
			  15 years 364 days 16 years 
			 No allowance for tax 160 330 
			 Reduced to allow for tax on pension payments at assumed marginal rate of 40%(1) 150 250 
			 (1) Pension scheme lump sums and redundancy payments are normally tax-free, for armed forces personnel.

Departmental Co-ordination

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the Ministers in his Department is responsible for liaison with the Department for Work and Pensions on (a) changes to housing benefit and (b) public sector pension reform.

Mark Francois: I am.

Military Bases: Scotland

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the outcome of the Basing Review on levels of continuing educational allowance claimed in Scotland;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the outcome of the Basing Review on levels of continuing educational allowance claimed by Scottish regiments.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has made no assessment along the lines described. Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) is designed to assist eligible service personnel to achieve continuity of education for their children. Eligibility for CEA is not dependent on unit or location. However, the assessed likelihood of a future change of location is a factor in determining eligibility.

Public Expenditure

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding his Department allocated to the (a) Conflict Pool, (b) Discretionary Peacekeeping Fund, (c) BBC World Service, excluding the BBC World Service Trust, (d) BBC World Service Trust, (e) Special Reserve, (f) British Council and (g) Security and Intelligence Fund in each year since 2010.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 20 March 2013
	The Conflict Pool is part of a HM Treasury-funded settlement on conflict resources. It is not funded from Ministry of Defence (MOD) departmental expenditure limits and is managed jointly by the Department for International Development, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the MOD. The MOD's use of Conflict Pool funds is explained in its annual reports, which can be found online at the following address:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-annual-report-2011-12
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-resource-accounts-2010-11
	There is no Discretionary Peacekeeping Fund. Responsibility for funding discretionary peacekeeping activities is currently accounted for within the Conflict Resources Settlement provided by HM Treasury in the 2010 spending review.
	The MOD has not allocated funds to the BBC World Service or the BBC World Service Trust. The MOD has, however, made payments to the BBC World Service Trust for the provision of specific services.
	The MOD does not contribute funds to the Special Reserve, which is the responsibility of HM Treasury. The MOD receives funds from the Special Reserve for paying the net additional costs of military operations in Afghanistan.
	The MOD has not allocated funds to the British Council. The MOD has, however, made payments to the British Council for the provision of specific services.
	There is no Security and Intelligence Fund. There is however a Single Intelligence Account to fund the business of the Intelligence and Security Agencies. The MOD is reimbursed for services it provides.

Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Budget 2013 Red Book, Table 2.5, which capital items and projects are no longer proceeding as a consequence of the underspend by his Department in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Hammond: No capital items or projects have been cancelled as a result of the underspend in 2012-13.

Recruitment

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials were recruited to (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years.

Mark Francois: There has been a freeze on external recruitment to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) including its trading funds and non-departmental public bodies since May 2010. Exceptions apply to front line or business critical posts; fast streamers and apprentices; and posts paid for in full by other parties, for example United States visiting forces and NATO support facilities. There is also a continuing need to recruit to certain specialisms, such as Service Children's Education teachers to educate the children of service personnel, certain medical grades, and posts that are critical to delivering defence transformation. The numbers recruited for these reasons will vary from year to year according to requirements.
	The following table details the number of civilian staff recruited to the MOD during each of the last four financial years, and as at 31 January 2013.
	
		
			 Civilian intake FY 2008-09 FY 2009-10 FY 2010-11 FY 2011-12 FY 2012-13 to 31 January 2013 
			 MOD Main      
			 Recruitment/reinstatement 3,940 3,990 1,410 770 860 
			 Transfer from other public office 110 210 190 100 220 
			 MOD Main total 4,040 4,200 1,610 870 1,080 
			       
			 Trading Funds      
			 Recruitment/reinstatement 460 380 190 180 120 
			 Transfer from other public office 570 560 240 330 420 
			 Trading funds total 1,040 940 430 520 540 
			       
			 Overall total MOD Intake 5,080 5,140 2,040 1,380 1,620 
			 Notes: 1. All people are counted equally regardless of their hours of work. 2. MOD Total intake includes all permanent, casual and Trading Funds civilian personnel but excludes all Royal Fleet Auxiliary and locally engaged civilians. 3. Where rounding has been used, totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in ‘5’ have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. 4. Reinstatement applies to civilian staff who have been previously employed by the MOD.

Reserve Forces

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the full cost estimates are for mobilising and deploying (a) a Territorial Army battalion and (b) the Army Reserves as a whole.

Mark Francois: holding answer 11 March 2013
	Our policy in recent years has generally been to use reservists as individual reinforcements to serve alongside their regular counterparts and there has been no requirement to mobilise and deploy a Territorial Battalion (TA) or the Army Reserve as a whole.
	Under Army 2020 we anticipate that in the future we will routinely use reservists not only in providing augmentation but as part of the integrated Army, operating in formed combat and support units. The future cost of such mobilisation and deployments will vary depending on the number and size of the reserve units deployed, the type of role they are fulfilling, the manpower mix and the nature of any operation they might undertake.

Reserve Forces

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what proportion of the planned additional £1.8 billion investment in Reserve Forces will cover the cost of mobilisation and operations;
	(2)  what assumptions he has made regarding the number of reservists to be mobilised in a five year period.

Mark Francois: holding answer 11 March 2013
	Our intention is to increase integration of the reserves and regulars and to use reservists routinely to deliver Defence outputs. The number of reservists mobilised will vary depending on the type, scale and location of the task. Costs will vary commensurately. The precise source of funding will be determined on a case-by-case basis. We do not expect any major contribution from the £1.8 billion for the cost of mobilisation.

Theft

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the total proportion of the defence estates and bases budget that is written off annually as a result of fraud, corruption and theft.

Mark Francois: holding answer 25 March 2013
	No assessment has been made by the Ministry of Defence of the proportion of the defence estates and bases budget that is written off annually as a result of fraud, corruption and theft.
	This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Travel

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on (a) the Government Car Service and (b) other taxi or car services for ministerial travel in each year since 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: Road transport for the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), is normally provided by the Metropolitan police.
	Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure on car travel by the Junior Defence Ministers is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Financial year Government car service MOD pool cars(1) Taxis Total 
			 2009-10 106,343 218,090 n/a 324,433 
			 2010-11 39,419 131,622 147 171,188 
			 2011-12 0 127,160 232 127,392 
			 (1 )The Junior Defence Ministers have, in accordance with the Ministerial Code, given up their cars with a dedicated driver to reduce costs and now share a central MOD car pool with senior staff working in the MOD main building. The costs quoted represent a notional estimate of the use the Junior Defence Ministers have made of the shared vehicles.

Type 45 Destroyers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for Type 45 destroyers to participate in ballistic missile defence training with the US armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: The UK has no plans to integrate UK warships into the US Ballistic Missile Defence programme for training or otherwise. However, a science and technology programme is in place to evaluate the Type 45 destroyer's capabilities against difficult air targets and as part of this, a Type 45 has been invited to take part in a forthcoming US Ballistic Missile Defence trial.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to increase the ring-fenced allocation for asylum cases on the Fast Track process on the immigration detention estate; and what estimates she has made of the size of the ring-fenced allocation for asylum cases on the Fast Track process on the immigration detention estate by 1 December 2013.

Mark Harper: holding answer 20 March 2013
	Entry to the detained fast track procedure is determined by reference to published policy available on the UK Border Agency website at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/asylumprocessguidance/detention/guidance/detained_fast_processes
	The Detained Fast Track process deals with applications for asylum that appear, after screening, to be ones where a quick decision can be made. The system operates flexibly and in cases where it becomes apparent that an application is more complicated and cannot be determined within the Detained Fast Track time-scale, the case is taken out of the process and the claimant normally released from detention. The Government believes that the process provides claimants with the necessary time and opportunity to enable their applications to be justly decided and heard. The Agency will continue to seek to process as many cases that fall within the criteria through this process. Numbers of eligible cases and therefore detention requirements are difficult to predict given that entry levels rely on intake.

Asylum: Females

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of dispersal on the health of (a) pregnant women seeking asylum and (b) new mothers seeking asylum; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: Asylum seekers who are homeless are placed in an initial accommodation centre, where there are medical teams on site. An assessment is then made of their longer term accommodation needs. Any decision to disperse the person to accommodation in another part of the country takes account of the outcome of the medical examination carried out in the centre.
	There has been no specific assessment of the effect of dispersal on the health of pregnant women seeking asylum, but the dispersal policy is kept under regular review and changes made from time to time in light of the views of health professionals and other interested parties. The policy was most recently revised in August 2012 following an extensive consultation exercise. All asylum seekers have full access to the United Kingdom's health care system.

Birmingham Airport: Immigration Controls

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the UK Border Force target for queuing times for (a) EEA and (b) non-EEA passengers at Birmingham Airport were breached in (i) October 2012, (ii) November 2012, (iii) December 2012 and (iv) January 2013.

Mark Harper: holding answer 5 March 2013
	During October, November and December 2012 and in January 2013, queues exceeding service standards occurred on the following number of occasions:
	
		
			 Birmingham airport 
			 Date Number of queues exceeding service standards Number of queue measurements taken 
			  EEA Non EEA EEA Non EEA 
			 October 2012 3 0 583 485 
			 November 2012 1 1 596 559 
			 December 2012 0 0 584 567 
			 January 2013 0 0 638 630 
		
	
	Please note that figures quoted are management information only which have been subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change.
	I also refer you to the published statistics on the clearance of passengers, at the national level:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/clearance-of-passengers/

Crime Prevention: Rural Areas

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to reduce rural crime; and if she will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: The Government recognise that rural communities are vulnerable to certain crimes. The election of police and crime commissioners has given rural communities a stronger voice in determining local policing priorities. We are also giving the public more street-level information about crime on a monthly basis so they have the information they need to hold local forces to account.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the announcement of 12 December 2012 that from April 2013, PhD students who have completed their studies will be allowed to stay in Britain for 12 months after they have completed their PhD before having to find a job or start a business, what procedures will be required to extend a visa; whether those extending a visa in this way will have to apply for a new visa; whether biometric information or a passport will need to be submitted as part of such an application; what fees applicants will need to pay; and what timeframe will be required for such an application.

Mark Harper: holding answer 7 March 2013
	On 14 March 2013 I laid a written ministerial statement in Parliament outlining a number of changes to the immigration rules. These will come into effect on 6 April and include changes to tier 4 to allow completing PhD students to stay in the UK for one year beyond the end of their course to find skilled work or to set up as an entrepreneur. Full details are available in the Statement of Changes to Immigration Rules (HC1039), a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The Home Office and the UK Border Agency have worked with the higher education sector to produce guidance on how the policy will be implemented. Amendments to the Tier 4 guidance will be published on the UK Border Agency website on 6 April 2013.

Gatwick Airport: Immigration Controls

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the UK Border Force's target for queuing times for (a) EEA and (b) non-EEA passengers at London Gatwick airport was breached in (i) October 2012, (ii) November 2012, (iii) December 2012 and (iv) January 2013.

Mark Harper: holding answer 4 March 2013
	During October, November and December 2012 and in January 2013, queues exceeding service standards occurred on the following number of occasions:
	
		
			 Gatwick—North terminal 
			  Number of queues exceeding service standards Number of queue measurements taken 
			  EEA Non EEA EEA Non EEA 
			 October 2012 0 3 1,011 1,010 
			 November 2012 0 0 2,878 2,877 
			 December 2012 5 7 2,853 2,854 
			 January 2013 3 9 2,975 2,975 
		
	
	
		
			 Gatwick—South terminal 
			  Number of queues exceeding service standards Number of queue measurements taken 
			  EEA Non EEA EEA Non EEA 
			 October 2012 1 0 998 998 
			 November 2012 1 1 2,880 2,873 
			 December 2012 11 26 2,854 2,852 
			 January 2013 2 6 2,976 2,973 
			 Note: The figures quoted are management information only which have been subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change. 
		
	
	I also refer the hon. Member to the published statistics on the clearance of passengers, at a national level:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/clearance-of-passengers/

Government Procurement Card

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the mean average spend using a Government Procurement Card was per member of staff in (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) UK Border Force in (i) 2011 and (ii) 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 27 February 2013
	The information requested on Government Procurement Card spend for (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) Border Force in (i) 2011 and (ii) 2012 can be found as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			  2011 GPC Spend per member of staff 2012 GPC Spend per member of staff 
			 UK Border Agency 168 120 
			 Border Force 298 205

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will appoint an anti-slavery commissioner.

Mark Harper: holding answer 22 March 2013
	The Government has no plans to create such a role. The Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group co-ordinates the cross-Government work on tackling human trafficking. The Government will keep the role of the group under review.

Immigrants: Detainees

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost has been of transferring detainees from Northern Ireland to immigration removal centres in England and Scotland in each of the last five years.

Mark Harper: The escorting contract prior to May 2011 has a fixed price and it is therefore not possible to disaggregate the costs of removing detainees from Northern Ireland to immigration removal centres in England and Scotland.
	Since May 2011, the costs are subject to commercial confidentiality restrictions since disclosure of this information would release price sensitive information. Under the Government's transparency agenda, we are committed to publishing details of any new tenders for contracts and new contracts over £10,000 and publishing new items of spend over £25,000. As such the UK Border Agency publishes monthly all payments to all of its suppliers at the following link:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/non-personal-data/transparency/

Immigration

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential inward migration to the UK of non-EU nationals who have obtained EU passports over the next five years.

Mark Harper: holding answer 22 March 2013
	The Home Office has not made such an assessment. UK population projections, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS):
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_235886.pdf
	assume net migration up to 2035. However, it is not possible to identify separately how much of the migration may be due to non-EU nationals who have acquired citizenship of an EU member state.

Immigration Officers: Olympic Games 2012

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of re-employing retired UK Border Agency and UK Border Force officers to work during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Mark Harper: holding answer 1 March 2013
	The total cost to the public purse of re-employing retired Border Force and UK Border Agency staff to work during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics was £0.9 million. This was spent on pay costs and also on training for staff to ensure their skills were up to date.

Immigration: Greater London

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2013, Official Report, column 1174W, on immigration: Croydon, how many older live cases unit live cohort cases are outstanding in postal codes (a) SE19, (b) SE25, (c) SW16, (d) CR0 and (e) CR7 and (f) the London borough of Croydon.

Mark Harper: holding answer 18 March 2013
	The number of older live cases outstanding in the named post codes and in the London borough of Croydon is as follows:
	(a) SE19: 31 cases
	(b) SE25: 90 cases
	(c) SW16: 165 cases
	(d) CRO: 285 cases
	(e) CR7: 198 cases
	(f) London borough of Croydon: 665 cases.
	Results are based on person ID rather than case reference ID in line with older live cases unit reporting. As the query relies on postcodes, data quality in relation to formal addresses on the UK Border Agency database may affect the accuracy of the figures.
	The information has been provided from local management information and has not been quality assured to the level of published National Statistics. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

Immigration: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Agency legacy cases are outstanding for applicants resident in the (a) (i) PE1, (ii) PE3 and (iii) PE4 postcode area and (b) Peterborough unitary authority area; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The number of UK Border Agency legacy cases outstanding for applicants resident in the cited postcodes and Peterborough unitary authority is as follows:
	PE1: 78 cases
	PE3: 23 cases
	PE4: three cases.
	Peterborough unitary authority area: 124 cases (we have assumed this relates to the number of people in the Peterborough local authority).
	Results are based on person ID rather than case reference ID in line with older live cases unit reporting. As the query relies on postcodes, data quality in relation to formal addresses on the UK Border Agency database may affect the accuracy of the figures.
	The information has been provided from local management information and has not been quality assured to the level of published National Statistics. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

Annual Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies qualify for privilege days; and what the total cost to the public purse was of the number of privilege days utilised each year by such officials.

James Brokenshire: Within the Home Department (including its Executive Agencies), all staff have a contractual entitlement to 2.5 privilege days per year. Table 1 provides information on the number of staff within the Department (including each Agency). The total cost to the public purse of these privilege days in any given year could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This is because costs need to be calculated dependent upon individual terms and conditions as well as whether rotas/shifts include privilege day working.
	Each non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Home Department can have its own terms and conditions for contractual entitlement to privilege days. Table 2 provides information on the number of staff within each NDPB of the Home Department. It has not been possible to obtain information on either contractual entitlement or cost in each NDPB without incurring a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of staff in the Home Department (including its Executive Agencies) who qualify for up to 2.5 days privilege leave 
			 Area Full-Time Equivalent Headcount 
			 Home Office Headquarters (excl agencies) 10,801.93 
			 Identity and Passport Service 3,087.22 
			 UK Border Agency 10,688.97 
			 National Fraud Authority 46.60 
			 HO Total 24,624.72 
			 Extract Date: 1 February 2013 Period Covered: Data provided are as at 31 January 2013. Employee Coverage: Data are based on headcount FTE of all paid civil servants, who were current as at the 31 January 2013. Data Sources: Home Department—Data View, the Home Office's single source of Office for National Statistics compliant monthly snapshot corporate Human Resources data. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of staff in the Non-Departmental Public Bodies 
			 Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) Full-Time Equivalent Headcount 
			 Disclosure and Barring Service 735.16 
			 Independent Police Complaints Commission 375.99 
			 National Policing Improvement Agency 31.21 
			 Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner 58.40 
			 Security Industry Authority 162.35 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency 3,747.60 
			 NDPB Total 5,110.71 
			 Extract Date: 1 February 2013. Period Covered: Data provided are as at 31 January 2013. Employee Coverage: Data are based on headcount FTE of all paid staff who were current as at the 31 January 2013. Data Sources: NDPBs—NDPBs compile and submit data separately for inclusion in the Workforce Management Information return.

Manchester Airport: Immigration Controls

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the UK Border Force targets for queuing times for (a) EEA and (b) non-EEA passengers at Manchester airport were breached in (i) October 2012, (ii) November 2012, (iii) December 2012 and (iv) January 2013.

Mark Harper: holding answer 5 March 2013
	During October, November and December 2012 and in January 2013, queues exceeding service standards occurred on the following number of occasions:
	
		
			 Manchester terminal 1 
			  Number of queues exceeding service standards Number of queue measurements taken 
			  EEA Non EEA EEA Non EEA 
			 October 2012 0 0 191 160 
			 November 2012 0 0 206 153 
			 December 2012 0 0 163 125 
			 January 2013 0 1 207 171 
		
	
	
		
			 Manchester terminal 2 
			  Number of queues exceeding service standards Number of queue measurements taken 
			  EEA Non EEA EEA Non EEA 
			 October 2012 2 1 232 158 
			 November 2012 0 0 137 86 
			 December 2012 0 0 162 113 
			 January 2013 0 0 156 120 
		
	
	
		
			 Manchester terminal 3 
			  Number of queues exceeding service standards Number of queue measurements taken 
			  EEA Non EEA EEA Non EEA 
			 October 2012 0 0 82 79 
			 November 2012 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 December 2012 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 January 2013 1 0 71 63 
			 (1) No data. Data not collected during this period. Note: The figures quoted are management information only which have been subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change. 
		
	
	I also refer the hon. Member to the published statistics on the clearance of passengers, at the national level:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/clearance-of-passengers/

Stansted Airport: Immigration Controls

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the UK Border Force's target for queuing times for (a) EEA and (b) non-EEA passengers at London Stansted airport was breached in (i) October 2012, (ii) November 2012, (iii) December 2012 and (iv) January 2013.

Mark Harper: holding answer 4 March 2013
	During October, November and December 2012 and in January 2013, queues exceeding service standards occurred on the following number of occasions:
	
		
			 Stansted airport 
			 Date Number of queues exceeding service standards Number of queue measurements taken 
			  EEA Non-EEA EEA Non-EEA 
			 2012     
			 October 4 6 572 478 
			 November 4 4 517 435 
			 December 5 13 604 615 
			 2013     
			 January 1 5 489 479 
			 Note: The figures quoted are management information only which have been subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change. 
		
	
	I also refer you to the published statistics on the clearance of passengers, at the national level:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/clearance-of-passengers/

UK Border Force

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on advertising the position of Director General of the UK Border Force in the last year.

Mark Harper: holding answer 5 March 2013
	The role of Director General, Border Force was advertised twice during 2012. Adverts were placed in a range of publications including The Sunday Times (print and online), The Guardian (online), Exec-Appointments (online), and Police Professional (online) at a cost of £17,174.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carers

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of single earner families have caring responsibilities for very young children, relatives with a long-term illness or the disabled.

Esther McVey: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Council Tax Benefits: Greater London

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Poplar and Limehouse constituency will be affected by the changes in council tax benefit due to take place in April 2013.

Steve Webb: This information is not available.
	Council tax benefit is being abolished on 31 March 2013 and replaced with localised council tax reduction schemes. In England, local authorities will be responsible for the design and administration of their scheme, reflecting local priorities.

Disability Living Allowance

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of a disability living allowance award who have been re-assessed in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available have had their benefit payment (a) terminated, (b) reduced and (c) increased.

Esther McVey: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of disability living allowance renewal claims in Great Britain between the period March 2012 to February 2013 
			 Disability living allowance March 2012 - February 2013 
			 Total Renewal claims 266,400 
			 (a) Disallowed 33,900 
			 (b) Reduced 33,400 
			 (c) Increased 12,200

Employment: Learning Disability

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what work he is doing with employers to ensure that they understand and accommodate adults with moderate to mild learning difficulties.

Esther McVey: In October 2010, DWP responded to a number of requests from disabled people and disability organisations to improve work opportunities for individuals with learning difficulties by supporting the development of a national steering group entitled The Hidden Impairment National Group (HING). The main aim of the HING is to improve the DWP customer service experience for people with a range of learning difficulties including: Autistic Spectrum Conditions including Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Speech and Language Difficulties and Mental ill Health.
	The group, led by DWP, has a strong and productive membership including disabled people with Hidden Impairment conditions, medical professionals and academics and disability specific organisations such as The Adsetts Partnership, Autism Plus, Complex Minds, Addept, The National Autistic Society, The Dyscovery Centre, The Dyspraxia Foundation, The Dyslexia Foundation and Dyslexia Action.
	Together, the HING has had a significant impact on improving the DWP customer journey for people with learning difficulties; developing a range of learning and development resources that are supporting DWP staff/managers to better understand the disability agenda; this includes an on-line toolkit, available to all staff via the intranet system that offers information on individual conditions and hints and tips on reasonable adjustment solutions that will be needed throughout the process.
	The HING has also recognised the importance of sharing this information with the wider business community across the country and has engaged with a large number of employers to help them to better recruit and retain disabled people and in particular individuals with learning difficulties. The HING has also embarked upon a national employer campaign entitled to ‘Uncovering Hidden Impairments' to raise awareness of the skills, talents and abilities of many people with these conditions. For further information the HING has created a website that enables employers to register for free resources that will encourage them to recruit and retain disabled talent. This can be found at:
	www.hing.org.uk
	The Department's specialist disability employment programmes, including Work Choice, include provision for third party providers to support both employers and individuals with tailored support to meet their mutual needs in entering and remaining in employment. Access to Work is available for people whose health or disability affects the way they do their job, and provides support that is over and above what is considered a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act.
	The Department is also currently updating its strategy on engaging with employers on disability employment. This is expected to include deepening the support and resources available to employers in a strategic way.

Housing Benefit: Morecambe

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency in (a) the private sector and (b) social rented housing qualify for housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The information we have which relates to how many people in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency in (a) the private sector and (b) social rented housing are receiving housing benefit is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool

Housing Benefit: Shared Housing

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households affected by the raising of the age threshold for the shared accommodation rate to 35 years old in (a) Scotland, (b) Airdrie and Shotts constituency and (c) each local authority area in Scotland.

Steve Webb: The Department for Work and Pensions published an impact assessment in August 2011 which estimated the number of claimants affected by the raising of the age threshold for the shared accommodation rate to 35. Figures for Scotland and by local authority are contained in Annex 2, Tables 1 and 4 at the following web address. Figures are not available by parliamentary constituency.
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-shared-accommodation-age-threshold.pdf

Housing Benefit: Shared Housing

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Scotland containing an individual aged between 25 and 35 years old received an exemption from the shared accommodation rate owing to such an individual having spent at least three months in a homelessness hostel at which resettlement support was issued in 2012.

Steve Webb: This information is not available.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the exemption for under-occupying households with disabled children or armed forces personnel is; and how that cost will be funded.

Steve Webb: The Department does not hold data on disabled children who cannot share bedrooms. However, claimants with disabled children are already entitled to claim housing benefit for an extra bedroom where the local authority is satisfied that it is necessary. This is included in existing housing benefit expenditure.
	The Department is also unable to make an estimate from survey data of non-dependants who are armed forces personnel. Parents of those who are in the armed forces are already entitled to claim housing benefit for an extra bedroom and this is included in existing expenditure. The recent amendments to the regulations allow housing benefit to continue for the extra bedroom while the non-dependant is deployed on operations.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had on modifying the social housing underoccupation penalty to allow a room to be kept free for the overnight carer of a disabled child; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Overnight care for a disabled child is normally provided by parents or other family members who already have a bedroom within the household.
	If overnight care by a non-resident carer is required, local authorities can consider discretionary housing payments.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the omission of foster parents and a family with a child who serves away from home in the armed forces from the social housing underoccupation rules will be funded from the existing budget for discretionary housing payments; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Central Government originally allocated £5 million to the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme towards the cost of foster carers. As legislation has now been amended to cover the cost of allowing foster carers an additional room, if appropriate, and allowing the parents of armed forces personnel who are away from home to retain their room in both the private and social rented sectors, the £5 million has been reallocated.
	This means that the total DHP funding for 2013/14 is now £150 million. Local authorities will be notified of their revised allocation.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward legislative proposals to automatically omit disabled children from the social housing underoccupation guidelines that siblings must share a room as appropriate to their age; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: We have already clarified that local authorities should allow an extra bedroom for children who are unable to share because the nature of their disabilities disturb the sleep of the child they are normally expected to share with. However, it will be for local authorities to satisfy themselves that this is the case, based on individual circumstances.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made on the implications of the outcome of Gorry versus the Department for Work and Pensions case for couples who cannot share a bedroom due to disability in respect of the new social housing under-occupancy rules; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Removal of the spare room subsidy in the social rented sector will be monitored and evaluated over a two-year period from April this year. Initial findings will be available in 2014 and the final report in late 2015. The evaluation will include small-scale, independent primary research with a range of local authorities, social landlords and voluntary organisations.
	As part of the research, we will look at people who are unable to share rooms and where possible it will also consider people's financial circumstances, social networks and family life.

Information Services: Hearing Impairment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what steps the Government is taking to widen access for deaf people to information and services;
	(2)  what steps the Government is taking to promote learning and teaching of British Sign Language;
	(3)  what steps the Government is taking to support deaf children and families with deaf children;
	(4)  what steps the Government is taking to increase the numbers of interpreters of British Sign Language;
	(5)  what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) his officials have had with representatives from the deaf community.

Esther McVey: Across Government, Departments undertake a range of actions to meet their obligations under the Equality Act 2010. This includes the provisions which require service providers, including those providing information, to make reasonable adjustments where, otherwise, a disabled person would be placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.
	Depending on individual needs these actions may include the provision of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, Lipspeakers or Deafblind interpreters.
	The Government also fund provision of BSL for example through Access to Work, which we know is a popular and effective programme that helps disabled people get or keep employment. In addition, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) fully funds BSL courses for young people as a first Level 2 or Level 3 qualification. The Government also fully fund BSL training where it is needed to help unemployed people find work. This training supports the development of the pool of BSL interpreters.
	On the current Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) list of qualifications that are available for public funding, there are 19 BSL qualifications which Government can fund. These range from entry level upwards and many other learners are able to take courses which are co-funded, ie subsidised, by Government.
	In addition to the support available to all families, deaf children are also able to access support for special educational needs (SEN). This support is organised by schools, local authorities and other education providers, but the Government are reforming the system through the Children and Families Bill, which is currently before Parliament. This will make the SEN system more responsive, help join up health, education and social care and give parents more choice over the school their child attends. They are intended to help improve outcomes for all children with SEN, including deaf children and young people. It will introduce a single Education, Health and Care Plan from birth up to age 25 and require local authorities to make arrangements to jointly commission services to support local children with SEN.
	In September 2012 the Government introduced new duties on schools to provide auxiliary aids (such as radio aids or sign language support) for deaf children. This strengthens the framework for ensuring that schools are meeting the needs of deaf pupils.
	The Department for Education is currently finalising funding agreements for a £1 million national support contract for sensory impairment (deaf, blind and deafblind children) to support local authorities to assess and benchmark their services, share good practice and learn from each other. This contract will run from April 2013 for two years to help ensure that the reforms have maximum impact in supporting children with sensory impairments.
	Representatives of deaf people's organisations are routinely involved in the discussions Ministers and officials have with disabled people's organisations. Most recently I had the great pleasure of attending and speaking at the British Deaf Association reception celebrating the 10th anniversary of the recognition of British Sign Language, which was held on 18 March in the House of Commons. It provided me with a valuable opportunity to talk to individual deaf people as well as representatives of the British Deaf Association, the Royal Association for Deaf People and Signature.

Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Bill

Andrew McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to paragraph 7 of the impact assessment of the Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Bill, how his Department plans to assess poor value to the taxpayer.

Mark Hoban: It is clear that a retrospective transfer of money to claimants previously sanctioned on ESE schemes, would represent poor value for money to the taxpayer as many individuals will now be in work and earning a wage. This money could be better spent on funding back-to-work schemes to support jobseeker's allowance claimants back to work.

Maternity Pay

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider providing statutory protection for entitlement to maternity pay where employers make late payments of wages earned during the calculation period; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: We have no current plans to introduce further statutory protection.
	The calculation for statutory maternity pay normally takes account of a woman's normal weekly earnings which are averaged over a specific eight week period that ends around 15 weeks before the week the baby is due. This period falls during the time when a pregnant woman is usually working and earning normally, deliberately avoiding both the early and later months of her pregnancy when it is recognised that she may be less likely to be able to work normal hours, and therefore producing a less representative outcome.
	If an employer is late in making a payment, decision makers can still consider what should have been paid in the relevant period and calculate the average weekly earnings on this basis, providing the employee and employer are in agreement.

Pension Credit

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to raise the pension credit threshold in line with the increase in state pension.

Steve Webb: From April this year the standard minimum guarantee will rise by the same cash increase in the basic state pension, giving an above earnings increase for 2013-14. The above earnings increase is being funded through an increase in the savings credit threshold, which results in a decrease in the maximum savings credit amounts. In the current economic climate this approach allows resources to be targeted to protect the income of the poorest pensioners.
	There is a statutory commitment to increase the pension credit standard minimum guarantee at least in line with the growth in average earnings. Up-rating in future years will be subject to annual review in the normal way against this commitment.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about proposals to limit annually managed expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Discussions about the level and management of annually managed expenditure (AME) are a routine part of dialogue between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Treasury. Rapid growth in AME is reducing the resources available for other key areas of public spending and it is crucial that the Government can manage increases in spending and balance across different areas of expenditure to ensure resources are directed toward public spending priorities.
	As set out at the Budget, the Government will look to strengthen the public spending framework by introducing a limit on AME. This will strengthen control over a proportion of AME, including areas of welfare expenditure. Details of how this will operate will be set out in due course.

Social Security Benefits: Cumbria

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of instances where payment of benefits to which an individual resident in Barrow and Furness constituency is entitled have been delayed by more than one week in each of the last three years.

Mark Hoban: The information requested is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Morecambe

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are on benefits in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency, by category of benefits.

Mark Hoban: Statistics on how many people are on benefits in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency, by category of benefits can be found at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

State Retirement Pensions

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider making provision to ensure that individuals reaching pensionable age in the run-up to reforms being implemented do not lose out on any financial benefits arising from the single tier system.

Steve Webb: A key objective of reform is to move to a simpler, less means tested system that better supports saving for retirement.
	However, the single-tier pension will not be any more generous overall than the current system. Government have made it clear that the reforms to state pension will be cost neutral overall. The reform is not about spending additional money on future pensioners but about spending the money we have more effectively.
	Applying single tier to existing pensioners in a way that is cost neutral would involve changing pensions already in payment including reducing state pensions and other pensioner benefits for many existing pensioners which is not possible but would also be unfair.
	Current pensioners remain a priority for Government and we have introduced the triple lock to ensure that the basic state pension rises by at least 2.5% each year. Those who reach state pension age before the reforms are implemented will continue to receive their state pension in line with the existing rules.

Universal Credit

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the child maintenance liabilities will be of a single, unemployed, non-resident parent who becomes a non-resident parent while in receipt of universal credit as a result of either the regional pathfinder pilots which commence in April 2013 or under the national pathfinder pilot which commences in October 2013;
	(2)  how income from universal credit will be treated for child maintenance purposes where a single person who has been brought into universal credit under the proposed pathfinder pilots later (a) becomes a non-resident parent and (b) moves into employment.

Steve Webb: A non-resident parent who is a universal credit claimant and working will have their maintenance liability calculated in accordance with their income, but the universal credit award is not treated as income for child maintenance purposes.
	A non-resident parent on universal credit and not earning; for example, because they are unemployed, may be liable to pay the flat rate of maintenance.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of universal credit of the delay for small firms in the requirement to make a PAYE submission on or before the date of each payment to an employee; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The universal credit system will assess the payment to be made to a claimant monthly. Earnings used to calculate the universal credit payment will be determined from real time information (RTI) data received in the assessment period and any earnings reported by the claimant.
	HMRC recently announced a temporary relaxation, until 5 October 2013, of requirements for reporting PAYE data for small firms employing fewer than 50 people. This recognises that those smaller employers who pay employees weekly, or more frequently, but only process their payroll monthly, may need longer to adjust their process to reporting PAYE in real-time.
	This relaxation runs for a period of six months, broadly coinciding with the UC Pathfinder, during which we expect the number of employers of UC claimants to be relatively small. We will be utilising RTI data for claimants where this is possible. Where RTI is not available we will have alternative clerical processes to ensure their awards are based on accurate and up-to-date earnings information. Based on our knowledge of employers recruiting in the pathfinder area, we would not expect the relaxation to have a significant effect. We will, however, be monitoring this closely during the Pathfinder.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under what circumstances after 1 April 2013, someone who has been receiving universal credit would become entitled to (a) the former means-tested out-of-work benefits and (b) tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Once someone has been awarded universal credit, any changes of circumstances will be taken into account and the award adjusted accordingly, as long as they continue to meet the entitlement conditions.
	To be eligible to claim universal credit during the roll-out, a person must meet the eligibility criteria in place at the time. For example, during the Pathfinder, a person must satisfy the requirements set out in Part 2 of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2013/386, irrespective of whether they have previously been entitled to universal credit. Any person who does not satisfy those requirements would need to claim an existing benefit or tax credit.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information her Department holds on the average annual salary of (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees in the UK (i) film, (ii) music and (iii) design industry.

Edward Vaizey: DCMS does not publish separate estimates on earnings within the film, music and design industries. We rely on data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the ONS.
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings/2012-provisional-results/index.html

Broadband

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to paragraph 2.7 on page 68 of Budget 2013 Red Book, how funding for broadband programmes to support local delivery will be reprofiled.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The reprofiling exercise referred to in the Budget is designed to unblock and accelerate delivery by aligning funding with delivery timetables. This is an ongoing process. Final expenditure profiles will be agreed later in the year once local delivery timetables have been finalised.

Olympic Games 2012

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons applications for Olympic marketing licences can be rejected; and how many firms have been rejected for each such reason in 2013 to date.

Hugh Robertson: holding answer 22 March 2013
	Applications for licences can be refused for one of two reasons:
	because they do not meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme, for example because the company concerned is not registered in the UK, is not in the supply chain of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) or the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), or whose contribution to the Games is incidental;
	because the company provided goods or services which fall within an excluded category. The excluded categories exist to protect the rights of worldwide Olympic sponsors. These rights last beyond 2012 and give exclusive rights of association to the Games in the UK and worldwide. It is the support of these sponsors which ensures the Games can take place—without them there would be no Games and no opportunity for businesses to associate with them.
	Of those companies whose applications have been rejected, 25 fall in the first category and 70 in the second. The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the Games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007and updated in September 2010.

Olympic Games 2012

Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what suppliers of entertainment lighting systems can do to publicise their involvement in the London 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The provision of lighting systems falls within one of the Scheme's excluded categories. These exclusions exist to protect the rights of worldwide Olympic sponsors whose investment makes the Games possible. Companies whose supply includes lighting services, for example installation and design, may be eligible and I encourage them to refer to the Supplier Recognition Scheme website for further guidance.
	The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the Games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.

Olympic Games 2012

Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what definition of industrial lighting is being used by the administrators of the Supplier Recognition Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: holding answer 25 March 2013
	The provision of lighting systems falls within one of the excluded categories which exist to protect the rights of worldwide Olympic sponsors whose investment makes the games possible. Businesses which supplied lighting equipment or systems are excluded from the scheme—this applies to lighting used in either industrial, commercial or residential settings. Companies whose supply includes lighting services, for example installation and design, may be eligible and they are encouraged to refer to the Supplier Recognition Scheme website for further guidance.
	The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.

Olympic Games 2012

Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many companies have (a) applied for and (b) been accepted on the Supplier Recognition Scheme to date; and if she will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: holding answer 25 March 2013
	As at 20 March 2013, 620 companies had applied for licences under the Supplier Recognition Scheme run by the British Olympic Association for companies which supplied the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. 435 applications had been approved.
	I would encourage companies which supplied the games to apply for a licence under the scheme, which is run by the British Olympic Association. Licensed suppliers can refer to their work on the 2012 games in business to business communications and at trade fairs, both in the UK and overseas. The Supplier Recognition Scheme is another first for London 2012: the first time that the International Olympic Committee has agreed to the legal restrictions placed on suppliers and contractors being relaxed in this way.
	The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.

Olympic Games 2012

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licences have been granted to (a) companies in Northern Ireland and (b) all UK companies under the supplier recognition scheme to date.

Hugh Robertson: Four companies in Northern Ireland have been granted licences and, in total, 435 companies in the UK have been granted licences.

Olympic Games 2012

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total value of business is won by (a) companies from Northern Ireland and (b) all UK companies as a result of their participation in the supplier recognition scheme.

Hugh Robertson: It is not possible to provide an accurate figure for the value of new business won by licensed companies which is attributable to the scheme. However, the Supplier Recognition Scheme provides a very useful and welcome boost to eligible suppliers. The value of the licence will vary from business to business and will depend to a large extent on how companies use the new rights. Companies looking to promote themselves in overseas markets will benefit as the new scheme includes rights to use the designation in business activities carried overseas. The British Olympic Association (BOA) will be carrying out periodic surveys of licensed suppliers to gather information on the benefits of the scheme, including new business won as a result of it. The intention is to conduct the first such survey in May.

Olympic Games 2012

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what appeals process she has established for firms whose applications to the London 2012 Olympics Supplier Recognition Scheme are rejected.

Hugh Robertson: holding answer 25 March 2013
	Under the application process operated by the British Olympic Association (BOA), companies are asked to provide evidence showing that they meet the Scheme's criteria. Where a company's application for a licence is declined, the BOA provides it with full information about the criteria not met. Where a company would like to appeal against the decision, they are encouraged to contact the BOA providing additional information and supporting material so that their application can be reviewed.
	The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the Games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.

Public Libraries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many e-books were loaned from libraries in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) England, (d) Wales, (e) Scotland and (f) Northern Ireland in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012;
	(2)  how many books were loaned from libraries in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) England, (d) Wales, (e) Scotland and (f) Northern Ireland in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012.

Edward Vaizey: The detail requested is not held centrally by this Department. However, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) collect, annually, information relating to book and e-book loans from the library authorities and this is available from CIPFA for the years requested. Copies of CIPFA statistics are available in the House Library.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff are employed by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Cumbria; and what proportion of those staff are paid at or above the national level of the living wage.

Richard Benyon: 92 staff are currently employed by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) in Cumbria. The minimum salary for the lowest grade of staff in the national pay range is £15,529.
	The National Living Wage rate is £7.45 per hour. Based on the net 37 hours per week, the salary required to achieve the National Living Wage rate is £14,388.93 (based on 37 hours per week for 52.2 weeks).
	Therefore, all AHVLA employees in Cumbria are paid above the National Living Wage.

Bees

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans his Department has to reverse the decline in the bee population.

David Heath: There are 17 species of bee in England (including six species of bumblebee) that are now very rare and are included on the revised list of threatened species under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Natural England is leading work with partner bodies to identify actions to aid the recovery of these species.
	“Biodiversity 2020” committed to an increase in the overall extent of priority habitats by at least 200,000 hectares and to preventing further human-induced extinctions of known species. Further to this, Natural England, under its species recovery programme, funds conservation projects to support priority species such as the short haired bumble bee, which became extinct in the UK in the 1980s, but is being reintroduced from Sweden.
	In 2009, DEFRA and the Welsh Government launched the Healthy Bees Plan which is aimed at improving and protecting the health of honey bees over the next 10 years. In addition, following a review of the current honey bee pest and disease control policies, DEFRA and the Welsh Government recently consulted stakeholders on the proposals emerging from the review. Nearly 200 responses were received and these are being considered to help inform development of future policy.
	In addition, DEFRA is providing £2.5 million over five years (from 2010-11) towards the £10 million Insect Pollinators Initiative which is being jointly funded with the Scottish Government, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and the Wellcome Trust. Two projects will specifically focus on honey bees and six will benefit both honey bees and bumblebees. Results are expected to become available in 2014.
	DEFRA also provides £100,000 per year for honey bee research including work on control and risk management of honey bee pests and diseases.
	DEFRA funding is available to encourage farmers to provide forage and nesting sites for bees. Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) provides payments for the establishment of nectar flower mixtures to provide a large quantity of nectar from small areas that mimic nectar-bearing crops that once featured in traditional agricultural systems, and to limit the genetic impact on native wildflower species from the widespread sowing of commercial seed.
	Following a recent review of evidence from research, monitoring, and experience of scheme operation, several new ELS options were introduced from 1 January, including a supplement to add wildflowers to buffer strips and field corners, plus options for legume-rich and herb-rich swards to provide habitat and food for invertebrates including bees. Higher Level Stewardship also has a wide range of options that benefit bees, including floristically enhanced grass margins and conservation headlands.

Climate Change

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he will make additional funding available to the Environment Agency so that body can fulfil the obligations of its new role as the delivery arm of the Government's National Adaptation Programme.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has made £1.6 million available to fund the Environment Agency's Climate Ready Support Programme for England in 2013-14. This is in addition to the block grant in aid provided by this Department to the Environment Agency, some of which may also be used to support climate adaptation action, for example, in relation to flood risk management.

Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants in his Department have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010.

Richard Benyon: No civil servants in core DEFRA have been subject to non-disclosure agreements since 2010.

Drax Power Station

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on the £75 million debt guarantee for the Drax coal to biomass conversion project.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA Ministers meet regularly with other Ministers to discuss a range of issues. As has been the case with successive Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Environment Protection: EU Law

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will press the European Commission to introduce at an early stage a module for ecosystem services accounting under the work on the EU Regulation on Environmental Accounts.

Richard Benyon: We do not have plans to press for EU Regulation on ecosystem accounting as this would be premature.
	European regulation on environmental accounts applies to sets of environmental accounts that are already well established, including air emission accounts, material flow accounts and accounts of environmentally related taxes. Ecosystem accounting is a developing area with, as yet, no international standards. It is also very complex and requires comprehensive testing for a few years before it can be considered for potential inclusion in any regulation.
	However the UK is actively engaged with the international community to develop standards and guidelines. Specifically the Office for National Statistics is a member of the editorial board for the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounting, which is currently developing guidelines on ecosystem accounting.

Flood Control

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2013, Official Report, column 308W, on flood control, if he will publish a breakdown by scheme of external organisations contributing partnership funding on flood defence in each of the last three years; and what the expected contributions are in each of the next three years.

Richard Benyon: The current Partnership Funding system started in April 2012. Prior to the start of Partnership Funding, income for schemes was aggregated and therefore a breakdown by scheme for 2010-11 and 2011-12 is not held centrally. Information on the aggregate income for these years was provided in my answer of 14 March 2013.
	Regarding the data for schemes moving into construction in 2012-13 with confirmed external contributions, I refer to my answer of 5 September 2012, Official Report, column 348W.
	For future years, the following table provides details of schemes that are due to commence in 2013-14 with external contributions.
	Schemes commencing construction in future years beyond 2013-14 do not have confirmed funding until Grant in Aid allocations are confirmed.
	Overall, contributions have come forward from a range of sources, including from businesses, local authorities and communities. However in many cases, external contributors prefer not to disclose their contributions.
	It is estimated that Partnership funding will secure around £148 million of external funding on top of the £2.3 billion the Government are investing in flood and coastal erosion risk management over this spending period (April 2011 to March 2015).
	
		
			 Table listing details of flood and coastal risk management schemes moving into construction in 2013-14 funded wholly or party with external contributions(1) 
			 Scheme name Regional flood and coastal committee Parliamentary constituencies Total scheme cost£ million Total external contributions£ million 
			 Leeds City Flood Alleviation scheme Yorkshire Leeds Central 50.50 18.00 
			 Cottingham and Orchard Flood Alleviation scheme Yorkshire Haltemprice and Howden 21.54 9.91 
			 Willerby and Derringham Flood Alleviation scheme Yorkshire Haltemprice and Howden 14.25 6.47 
			 Sandsend Coast Protection scheme Yorkshire Scarborough and Whitby 9.33 4.57 
			 Anchorsholme Coast Protection scheme North West Blackpool North and Cleveleys 28.38 4.00 
			 Redruth Brewery Quarter Flood Risk Improvements South West Camborne and Redruth 3.00 2.60 
			 Filey Flood Alleviation Works Yorkshire Thirsk and Malton 5.02 2.30 
			 Skipton Flood Alleviation scheme Yorkshire Skipton and Ripon 10.04 2.08 
			 Sheffield Lower Don Valley Flood Protection Project Yorkshire Sheffield South East and Sheffield Central 11.33 1.75 
			 Pickering Flood Storage scheme Yorkshire Thirsk and Malton 1.84 1.37 
			 Humber Grimsby Docks Anglian Northern Great Grimsby 14.52 1.20 
			 Houghton Washland Flood Storage scheme, Darfield, Barnsley Yorkshire Barnsley East 1.20 0.82 
			 Millbay Tanks, Plymouth South West Plymouth-Sutton, Devonport 1.04 0.77 
			 Rossall Coastal Defence Improvement scheme North West Lancaster and Fleetwood CC 80.47 0.65 
			 Rolles Brook (Southampton) Flood Alleviation scheme Southern Southampton Test 0.74 0.60 
			 Cam Pumping Station Refurbishment Anglian Central South East Cambridgeshire 1.00 0.56 
			 Hesketh Outmarsh East Managed Realignment scheme North West South Ribble 2.64 0.55 
			 Wombwell Ings Flood Storage scheme, Darfield, Barnsley Yorkshire Barnsley East 0.75 0.55 
			 Littlehampton Arun Tidal Defences East Bank Southern Bognor Regis and Littlehampton 10.80 0.50 
			 Cannington Flood Defence scheme Wessex Bridgwater and West Somerset 2.77 0.50 
			 Warnham Mill Reservoir Southern Horsham 1.00 0.50 
			 Barnetby Woodland View Flood Alleviation scheme Anglian Northern Brigg and Goole 0.58 0.44 
			 Holly Brook (Southampton) Flood Alleviation scheme Southern Southampton Test 0.64 0.43 
			 Tanners Brook (Southampton) Flood Alleviation scheme Southern Southampton Test 0.74 0.41 
			 Weston Catchment Flood Alleviation scheme Wessex Bath 1.93 0.38 
			 Lendall Pumping Station Improvements, Barmby on the Marsh Yorkshire Selby and Ainsty 0.62 0.34 
			 Rodbourne Lagoons Flood Alleviation Thames Swindon North 1.22 0.30 
			 Crowhurst Surface Water Flood Relief scheme Southern Bexhill and Battle 0.41 0.30 
			 Dawlish Warren and Exmouth Beach Management scheme South West Newton Abbot 8.60 0.25 
			 Holbeach River Tidal Sluice Refurbishment Anglian Northern Spalding and Deepings 0.58 0.23 
			 Whaddon, Cheltenham, Flood Alleviation scheme Severn and Wye Cheltenham, Tewkesbury 1.76 0.22 
			 West Shore Park Coast Protection scheme North West Barrow and Furness 0.62 0.21 
			 Moreton in Marsh Flood Relief Culvert Thames Cotswolds 0.30 0.20 
		
	
	
		
			 Ransonmoor Pumping Station Refurbishment Anglian Central North East Cambridgeshire 0.35 0.19 
			 Dobbs Gutter, Formby Flood Alleviation scheme North West Sefton Central 0.25 0.19 
			 Ledburn Flood Risk Management scheme Anglian Central South West Bedfordshire 0.25 0.15 
			 Cubbington Flood Alleviation Scheme, Warwickshire, Flood Risk Management scheme Severn and Wye Warwick and Leamington 0.90 0.15 
			 Briarvale Flood Alleviation scheme Northumbria Tynemouth 0.26 0.11 
			 Bridge Road, Emsworth Flood Alleviation scheme Southern Havant Borough 1.07 0.10 
			 Hearne Brook Flood Relief Works, Cheltenham Severn and Wye Cheltenham 0.37 0.10 
			 Washways Pumping Station Refurbishment Anglian Central North East Cambridgeshire 0.35 0.09 
			 Netley Cliff Coastal Erosion Management scheme Southern Eastleigh 0.57 0.09 
			 Leconfield Flood Alleviation scheme Yorkshire Beverley and Holderness 0.28 0.09 
			 The Beck, Elford, Culvert repairs Trent Tamworth 0.32 0.07 
			 Cold Ash Hill Phase 1 Thames Thatcham 0.97 0.07 
			 Bevills Leam Pumping Station Refurbishment Anglian Central North West Cambridgeshire 0.25 0.07 
			 Coombend Culvert and Stream Improvements Wessex North East Somerset 2.12 0.05 
			 River Coin at Fairford Flood Alleviation scheme Thames Cotswolds 0.55 0.05 
			 Brampton, Chesterfield Property Level Flood Protection Yorkshire Chesterfield 0,45 0.05 
			 Bridlington Royal Princess Parade Seawall Improvements Yorkshire East Yorkshire 2.46 0.04 
			 Shyte Brook, Much Wenlock, Flood Alleviation scheme Severn and Wye Ludlow 0.70 0.04 
			 Stockport Road, Marple Culvert Culvert Rehabilitation North West Hazel Grove 0.48 0.03 
			 The Beck, Mousesweet Brook, Dudley Flood Alleviation scheme Severn and Wye Stourbridge 0.28 0.03 
			 Lubbesthorpe Brook, Lubbesthorpe, Leicester, Flood Alleviation scheme Trent South Leicestershire 0.68 0.02 
			 Wisbech Channel Improvements Anglian Central North East Cambridgeshire 0.25 0.02 
			 Lower Brue Urban Drainage Improvements—West Huntspill and Alstone Wessex Bridgwater and West Somerset 0.32 0.01 
			 Hillman Cottages, Abridge Candidate Assessment Thames Epping Forest 0.82 0.01 
			 River Cole, Stetchford, Colbourne Court Flood Alleviation scheme Trent Birmingham, Yardley 0.38 0.01 
			 (1) Data accurate as of February 2013.

Floods: Insurance

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he is going to announce what is going to replace the Statement of Principles for flood insurance when it runs out on 30 June 2013.

Richard Benyon: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 24 January 2013, Official Report, column 407W.

Glass: Recycling

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the rate of non-melt fraction of glass recycling.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency published data in February 2013 on the estimated amount of recovered glass received by remelt and non-remelt applications. The data on the Environment Agency National Packaging Waste Database relate to the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. This shows that for the UK, the proportion of recovered glass sent to non-remelt applications was 49%, 47% and 40% respectively.

Livestock: Transport

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2013, Official Report, column 207W, on livestock: transport, if he will (a) publish the names of operators of the vehicles approved and certified for the transport of live animals for export to EU member states who have had their licences suspended and (b) the duration of each such suspension.

David Heath: In my answer of 8 January 2013, Official Report, column 207W, I made it clear that the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency had used their regulatory powers to suspend the use in Great Britain of 10 vehicles used by transporters authorised in another member state that had been approved and certified in another member state and that their use in Great Britain would remain suspended until such a time as the identified faults have been rectified.
	For the reasons set out in my written answer of 26 February 2013, Official Report, column 394W, it would not be proper to publish this information.

Marine Management Organisation

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what powers the Marine Management Organisation has been preparing proposed marine plans and carrying out other related marine planning functions.

Richard Benyon: The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 introduced a number of measures, including a marine planning system. It established the Secretary of State as the marine plan authority and enabled him to delegate marine planning functions. The Secretary of State delegated these functions to the Marine Management Organisation in April 2010.

Meetings

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have met with Mr Mike Love in the last 12 months; and what the purpose of any such meeting was;
	(2)  what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence he has had with Burson-Marsteller UK in the last 12 months.

Richard Benyon: No meetings or correspondence between Ministers and Mr Mike Love or Burson-Marsteller UK have occurred in the last 12 months.

Packaging: EU Law

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with which (a) minimum and (b) other targets arising from the EU Packaging Directive businesses are required to comply.

Richard Benyon: Targets on businesses for the recycling and recovery of packaging waste are set out in the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (as amended).

Patrol Craft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when the Government expects to place the order for the construction of new offshore patrol vessels; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  from which departmental budget the funding for new offshore patrol vessels will come;
	(3)  how much his Department expects to pay to the Ministry of Defence as a contribution to the construction of new offshore patrol vessels.

Richard Benyon: There are no plans to pay for the construction of new offshore patrol vessels. The Marine Management Organisation pays a daily rate for the supply of patrol vessels for fishery enforcement work at sea but does not contribute towards the construction of patrol vessels.

Porpoises

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2013, Official Report, column 817W, on porpoises, if he will place in the Library a copy of the response given by the Government to the European Commission.

Richard Benyon: A copy of the reply will be placed in the Library of the House.

Recruitment

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials were recruited to (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of staff in core DEFRA, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies that were recruited in each calendar year between 2008 and 2012. The figures include temporary staff who may have been employed for less than a year. The figures exclude staff transferred as a result of machinery of Government changes, and temporary transfers such as secondments and loans.
	
		
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Core DEFRA 193 290 220 174 132 
			       
			 Executive Agency      
			 Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency 184 353 104 50 41 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 60 34 31 43 59 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency (Central Science Laboratory until 1 April 2009) — 125 78 79 89 
			 Government Decontamination Service (absorbed into FERA on 1 April 2009) 1 5 — — — 
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency(1) 16 67 10 — — 
			 Rural Payments Agency 547 131 13 35 49 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 8 15 3 10 6 
			       
			 Non-Departmental Public Body      
			 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board n/a n/a n/a 10 18 
			 Commission for Rural Communities n/a n/a n/a 9 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Consumer Council for Water 12 10 0 4 7 
			 Environment Agency 1,600 1,526 305 435 1,501 
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority 8 16 28 1 5 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 24 28 16 11 35 
			 Marine Management Organisation(1) — — — 55 59 
			 National Forest Company 2 2 2 2 1 
			 Natural England 243 251 18 24 32 
			 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 121 106 82 88 122 
			 Sea Fish Industry Authority 15 11 1 2 33 
			 Sustainable Development Commission (Abolished on 31 March 2011) 0 9 2 — — 
			 (1) Became Marine Management Organisation on 1 April 2010. Note: For years where information is not held centrally, "n/a" is shown. Where a body was not in existence that year has been left blank.

River Derwent

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to compensate people in Cockermouth for the breaching of the River Derwent's flood relief channel in that town in 2005, 2006 and 2009; and whether that compensation will take account of historic lack of maintenance of flood relief work on the River Derwent.

Richard Benyon: The Government are not legally liable to pay any compensation for the flooding which occurred in the town of Cockermouth in 2005, 2006 and 2009.
	There was no breaching to the existing flood defences during these floods; the defences were overtopped due to very high river flows.
	In November 2009, West Cumbria was subject to unprecedented and record rainfall, which fell on already saturated ground. The river levels were so high and the flooding was so significant that any removal of additional gravel, beyond that already removed as part of the Environment Agency's routine maintenance programme, would not have prevented the flooding.

River Derwent

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the change in the proportion of the River Derwent's flood relief channel in Cockermouth covered by wooded islands in the last 30 years; and what assessment he has made of the contribution of such islands to the breaching of flood defences in the town.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency and its predecessor organisations do not have records of the exact proportions covered by wooded islands over the last 30 years. However, since 2003 the Environment Agency has based its maintenance work on a technical evidence base, and its assessments have indicated that removing gravel or wooded islands would not have prevented the flooding since that date.
	Keeping rivers clear from the build up of gravel, plants and debris forms an important part of the Environment Agency's river maintenance plan in priority flood risk areas, such as Cockermouth.
	In these key locations, the river channels are surveyed annually to determine what work is required to maintain the capacity of the river. This survey information is then used in mathematical river modelling.
	Using these techniques the Environment Agency has assessed the impact of the gravel and wooded islands on the capacity of the river. The assessment confirms that the gravel and wooded islands had a negligible effect on the flood levels in 2005, 2008 and 2009 and the subsequent overtopping of the town's flood defences.
	The main hydraulic constraint (or bottle neck) in the river during significant flood flows is Gote Bridge which is located immediately upstream of the wooded islands.

River Derwent

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the evidential basis is for the statement by the Environment Agency that the build-up of wooded islands in the River Derwent's flood relief channel in Cockermouth was not the main cause of flooding in Cockermouth in 2005, 2008 and 2009.

Richard Benyon: In November 2009, the river levels in Cockermouth were so high and the flooding was so significant, that any removal of additional gravel or wooded islands would not have prevented the flooding.
	The evidence to support this statement is contained within the Environment Agency's ‘Cockermouth Maintenance Plan’ (2012), and associated reports, which have been assessed and verified by an independent consultant and were drawn up after surveying and modelling the river using the latest water industry recognised techniques.
	The reports also demonstrate that the management of gravel in the preceding years helped to maintain the one in 100 year standard of flood protection for Cockermouth in combination with the existing flood defences. The main cause of the flooding in Cockermouth in 2005, 2008 and 2009 was the exceptional rainfall and subsequent flood flows in the river.

Sickness Absence

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many days (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies has lost to staff sickness in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such absence in each year;
	(2)  how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have had (i) fewer than five days, (ii) five to 10 days, (iii) 10 to 15 days, (iv) 15 to 20 days, (v) 20 to 25 days, (vi) 25 to 50 days, (vii) 50 to 75 days, (viii) 75 to 100 days, (ix) 100 to 150 days, (x) 150 to 200 days, (xi) more than 200 days, (xii) more than three months, (xiii) more than six months and (xiv) more than one year on paid sick leave (A) consecutively and (B) in total in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of working days lost due to sickness in core DEFRA, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five calendar years, unless otherwise stated as being for financial years.
	
		
			 Department 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Core DEFRA 17,251 14,953 14,393 10,331 8,694 
			       
			 Executive agency      
			 Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency 23,495 22,078 20,822 18,477 13,855 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 3,622 3,443 3,381 2,203 2,463 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency 4,507 4,336 3,996 4,625 4,604 
			 Government Decontamination Service (absorbed into FERA on 1 April 2009) 237 27 (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency (until 1 April 2010, then became Marine Management Organisation—see NDPBs) 1,517 1,242 323 (1)— (1)— 
			 Pesticides Safety Directorate (transferred to Health and Safety Executive on 1 April 2008) 278 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Rural Payments Agency 35,189 31,938 29,535 22,204 20,950 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 1,316 1,110 1,446 1,065 1,004 
			       
			 Non-departmental public body      
			 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board n/a n/a n/a n/a 742 
			 Commission for Rural Communities 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Consumer Council for Water 624 820 450 723 795 
			 Environment Agency 82,295 78,907 77,310 77,953 76,792 
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority(2) 731 397 327 217 313 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 512 765 474 495 602 
			 Marine Management Organisation (created on 1 April 2010)( 2) (1)— (1)— (1)— 1,312 960 
			 National Forest Company(2) 86 60 125 22 22 
			 Natural England 12,860 13,549 12,066 10,115 9,228 
			 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew(2) 2,074 1,555 2,270 1,634 2,128 
			 Sea Fish Industry Authority 128 320 199 192 151 
			 n/a = Information not available (1) Body no longer in existence. (2) Figures shown cover financial, not calendar, years, e.g.‘2012’ equates to the 2011-12 financial year. 
		
	
	Most DEFRA bodies, including core DEFRA, were unable to provide information on the cost of sickness absence without incurring disproportionate costs. The following bodies were able to provide this information.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Non-departmental public body 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 53,248 79,560 49,296 51,480 62,556 
			 National Forest Company(1) 13,488 9,368 17,550 3,633 3,688 
			 Natural England 1,858,760 1,841,439 1,664,779 1,413,699 1,374,005 
			 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew(1) 165,521 159,500 159,873 183,361 183,575 
			 (1) Costs shown cover financial, not calendar, years. 
		
	
	Only Natural England was able to provide a breakdown of staff sickness absences into the requested periods of time. All other bodies in the DEFRA network, including core DEFRA, could not provide this information without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Natural England 
			  Number of staff taking consecutive days Number of staff taking days in total 
			 2008   
			 1 to 4 days 454 693 
			 5 to 10 days 287 366 
			 10 to 15 days 88 144 
			 15 to 20 days 38 65 
			 20 to 25 days 30 40 
			 25 to 50 days 45 81 
			 50 to 75 days 14 14 
			 75 to 100 days 9 11 
			 100 to 150 days 6 9 
			 150 to 200 days 1 2 
			 More than 200 days 0 1 
			 More than 3 months 0 0 
			 More than 6 months 0 0 
			 More than 1 year 0 0 
			    
			 2009   
			 1 to 4 days 388 705 
			 5 to 10 days 271 330 
			 10 to 15 days 80 126 
			 15 to 20 days 33 66 
			 20 to 25 days 34 32 
			 25 to 50 days 53 75 
			 50 to 75 days 30 33 
			 75 to 100 days 9 10 
			 100 to 150 days 5 6 
			 150 to 200 days 1 4 
			 More than 200 days 1 3 
			 More than 3 months 0 0 
			 More than 6 months 0 0 
			 More than 1 year 0 0 
			    
			 2010   
			 1 to 4 days 408 792 
			 5 to 10 days 227 229 
			 10 to 15 days 88 126 
			 15 to 20 days 41 55 
			 20 to 25 days 21 26 
			 25 to 50 days 45 61 
			 50 to 75 days 17 19 
			 75 to 100 days 10 12 
			 100 to 150 days 5 6 
			 150 to 200 days 0 5 
			 More than 200 days 1 1 
			 More than 3 months 0 0 
			 More than 6 months 0 0 
			 More than 1 year 0 0 
			    
			 2011   
			 1 to 4 days 318 623 
			 5 to 10 days 190 231 
			 10 to 15 days 72 105 
			 15 to 20 days 39 45 
			 20 to 25 days 22 28 
			 25 to 50 days 35 57 
			 50 to 75 days 12 19 
		
	
	
		
			 75 to 100 days 6 9 
			 100 to 150 days to 6 9 
			 150 to 200 days 1 2 
			 More than 200 days 0 0 
			 More than 3 months 0 0 
			 More than 6 months 0 0 
			 More than 1 year 0 0 
			    
			 2012   
			 1 to 4 days 298 596 
			 5 to 10 days 191 238 
			 10 to 15 days 57 97 
			 15 to 20 days 29 33 
			 20 to 25 days 18 18 
			 25 to 50 days 47 58 
			 50 to 75 days 12 21 
			 75 to 100 days 9 10 
			 100 to 150 days 4 5 
			 150 to 200 days 0 2 
			 More than 200 days 0 0 
			 More than 3 months 0 0 
			 More than 6 months 0 0 
			 More than 1 year 0 0

Staff

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which pay grades his Department defines as senior officials in his Department's arm's length bodies.

Richard Benyon: Senior staff in core DEFRA and its executive agencies are defined as those paid within the senior civil service paybands. These include paybands 1, 1A, 2 and 3, as well as Permanent Secretary.
	The following table provides the names of the pay grades that are considered equivalent to the senior civil service (SCS) in the Department's arms length bodies.
	
		
			 Organisation Pay grades 
			 Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board Chief Executive Officer Finance Director Sector Directors 
			   
			 Consumer Council for Water Chief Executive Officer Head of Policy & Research Head of Corporate Services Head of Consumer Relations 
		
	
	
		
			 Covent Garden Market Authority Chief Executive Officer Finance Director Commercial and Operations Director Business Development Director Project Director 
			   
			 Environment Agency Executive Manager 1 (SCS) Executive Manager 2 (SCS) Executive Manager 3 (SCS) 
			   
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority Chief Executive Officer 
			   
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee Chief Executive Officer 
			   
			 Marine Management Organisation Chief Executive Officer Director 
			   
			 National Forest Company Chief Executive Officer 
			   
			 Natural England Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Director 
			   
			 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew RBG Kew has a category called "Individual Contracts" that are considered to be SCS equivalents. 
			   
			 Sea Fish Industry Authority At the present time, Seafish considers the three SCS equivalents to be: Chief Executive Officer Operations Director Business Services Director However, Seafish will soon implement a restructure. It will then have four SCS equivalents: Chief Executive Officer Technical Director External Affairs Director Business Services Director

Termination of Employment

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have left that body due to (i) resignation, (ii) retirement, (iii) redundancy, (iv) transferral to another public sector post and (v) another reason in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of staff in core DEFRA, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies that left, for the reasons listed, in each calendar year between 2008 and 2012.
	
		
			 Department 
			  Reason for leaving 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Core DEFRA Resignation 89 53 59 44 38 
			  Retirement 30 28 32 12 15 
			  Redundancy 326 12 7 274 48 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 64 64 37 34 58 
			  Other 51 48 79 19 15 
			  Total 560 205 214 383 174 
		
	
	
		
			 Executive agency 
			  Reason for leaving 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency Resignation 133 100 123 83 77 
			  Retirement 77 51 64 29 32 
		
	
	
		
			  Redundancy 0 0 12 227 55 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 14 3 4 1 20 
			  Other 72 94 111 36 27 
			  Total 296 248 314 376 213 
			        
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Resignation 30 28 25 18 15 
			  Retirement 7 6 5 2 5 
			  Redundancy 30 2 0 0 0 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 4 1 0 1 2 
			  Other 13 13 6 15 7 
			  Total 84 50 36 36 29 
			        
			 Food and Environment Research Agency (Formed 1 April 2009) (FERA) Resignation (2)— 26 26 27 22 
			  Retirement (2)— 12 10 3 7 
			  Redundancy (2)— 4 2 46 21 
			  Transfer to other public sector post (2)— 1 3 2 33 
			  Other (2)— 23 29 13 20 
			  Total (2)— 66 70 91 103 
			        
			 Government Decontamination Service (absorbed into FERA on 1 April 2009) Resignation 1 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 1 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			  Other 1 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			  Total 3 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			        
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency (until 1 April 2010, then became Marine Management Organisation—see NDPBs) Resignation 1 3 2 (2)— (2)— 
			  Retirement 3 1 2 (2)— (2)— 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 4 7 1 (2)— (2)— 
			  Other 2 5 4 (2)— (2)— 
			  Total 10 16 9 (2)— (2)— 
			        
			 Rural Payments Agency Resignation 266 142 104 52 48 
			  Retirement 29 35 27 31 39 
			  Redundancy 5 23 3 114 3 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 25 47 25 24 37 
			  Other 239 191 319 20 12 
			  Total 564 438 478 241 139 
			        
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate Resignation 3 1 3 7 3 
			  Retirement 6 0 4 4 3 
			  Redundancy 0 0 0 8 11 
			  Other 0 0 1 0 1 
			  Total 9 1 8 19 18 
		
	
	
		
			 Non-departmental public body (NDPB) 
			  Reason for leaving 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Resignation (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 4 12 
			  Redundancy (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 8 6 
			  Total (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 12 18 
			        
			 Commission for Rural Communities Redundancy (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 5 0 
			  Transfer to other public sector post (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 0 1 
			  Other (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 0 1 
			  Total (1)n/a (1)n/a (1)n/a 5 2 
			        
			 Consumer Council for Water Resignation 11 6 2 5 3 
			  Retirement 1 1 0 0 0 
			  Other 2 11 8 5 0 
			  Total 14 18 10 10 3 
			        
			 Environment Agency Resignation 702 372 465 343 261 
			  Retirement 270 196 235 148 103 
			  Redundancy 75 31 47 65 8 
			  Other 263 293 434 615 127 
			  Total 1,310 892 1,181 1,171 499 
			        
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority Resignation 4 3 6 5 8 
			  Retirement 2 1 0 0 0 
			  Other 1 0 2 5 9 
			  Total 7 4 8 10 17 
			        
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee Resignation 2 13 4 9 11 
			  Retirement 1 3 0 0 2 
			  Other 5 5 6 1 2 
			  Total 8 21 10 10 15 
			        
			 Marine Management Organisation (created on 1 April 2010). Figures shown are for financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12 Resignation (2)— (2)— (2)— 11 8 
			  Retirement (2)— (2)— (2)— 4 8 
			  Redundancy (2)— (2)— (2)— 2 5 
			  Transfer to other public sector post (2)— (2)— (2)— 1 2 
			  Total (2)— (2)— (2)— 18 23 
			        
			 National Forest Company Resignation 1 0 4 0 1 
			  Retirement 0 0 0 1 0 
			  Redundancy 0 0 0 4 0 
			  Total 1 0 4 5 1 
			        
			 Natural England Resignation 52 45 58 43 28 
			  Retirement 13 15 22 6 8 
			  Redundancy 153 1 7 336 38 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 6 0 8 8 3 
			  Other 7 7 5 10 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Total 231 68 100 403 78 
			        
			 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Resignation 50 34 45 28 22 
			  Retirement 6 13 9 8 2 
			  Redundancy 0 0 1 3 0 
			  Other 65 64 62 41 33 
			  Total 121 111 117 80 57 
			        
			 Sea Fish Industry Authority Resignation 30 17 21 7 16 
			  Retirement 0 0 1 1 1 
			  Total 30 17 22 8 17 
			        
			 Sustainable Development Commission (abolished 31 March 2011) Resignation 0 3 8 1 (2)— 
			  Retirement 0 0 1 (2)— (2)— 
			  Redundancy 0 0 3 29 (2)— 
			  Transfer to other public sector post 0 1 1 0 (2)— 
			  Other 1 3 4 0 (2)— 
			  Total 1 7 17 30 (2)— 
			 (1) For years where information is not available n/a is shown. (2) For years where body is no longer in existence.

Travel

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spent on (a) the Government Car Service and (b) other taxi or car services for ministerial travel in each year since 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The information is as follows.
	(a) Departmental spend on the Government Cars Service is published in an annual written Ministerial Statement, details of which can be found within the Libraries of both Houses:
	2009-10
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101028/wmstext/101028m0001.htm#10102827000372
	2010-11
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120116/wmstext/120116m0001.htm#12011611000194
	2011-12
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm121220/wmstext/121220m0001.htm#12122056000216
	Details of the costs for 2012-13 will be published in the normal way later this year.
	(b) The Ministerial Code, published on 21 May 2010, included changes to the circumstances in which Ministers would be entitled to a car and driver. Junior DEFRA Ministers have given up their cars to reduce costs and currently use the central Government Cars Agency pool, unless the Secretary of State's car is available.
	Private hire taxis are only used for ministerial travel when no other option is available, and when it is appropriate to do so. Since 2009, the costs were:
	
		
			  Cost (£) 
			 2009-10 22,705.05 
			 2010-11 2,947.96 
			 2011-12 2,515.05 
			 2012 to date 2,389.94

UN Convention on Biological Diversity

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress the UK has made towards meeting the commitments it made at the Convention on Biodiversity Conference of the Parties in Nagoya on ecosystems mapping and accounting.

Richard Benyon: The UK has been making steady progress in these new and complex areas.
	The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity agreed at Nagoya included a specific target to incorporate the values of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems by 2020. This forms part of our commitment to ensuring that natural capital is fully incorporated into the UK Environmental Accounts by the same date. The approach and milestones to achieve this goal have been set out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in an ambitious roadmap published in December 2012. DEFRA is now working with the ONS to implement this roadmap.
	The UK has also made good progress in relation to ecosystem mapping, although this is not covered by a specific strategic plan target. Relevant projects include the development of maps of ecosystem functioning by Natural England; the sectoral pilots of ecosystems mapping by DEFRA and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee; and other DEFRA-funded research on mapping methodology. The UK is also collaborating with the European Union's project on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce a 160 decibel noise limit for pile driving in offshore windfarm construction.

Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
	Decisions on noise limits for pile driving in offshore wind farm construction are taken on a case by case basis after consideration of all relevant matters including the results of consultation with statutory nature conservation bodies and any mitigation measures proposed.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Devolution

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent steps he has taken to devolve power away from Westminster and Whitehall.

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to devolve power from Westminster and Whitehall.

Nicholas Clegg: We are devolving power to the most appropriate level through local enterprise partnerships, local government finance reforms, giving local authorities a general power of competence and City Deals. We have accepted in full or in part, 81 of Lord Heseltine's 89 recommendations which build on that work to decentralise power and drive growth.
	We delivered a referendum in Wales which resulted in the Assembly assuming primary law making powers and we established the Silk Commission. In addition, the UK and Scottish Governments are working together to ensure the smooth implementation of Scotland Act 2012 which represents the greatest devolution of fiscal powers from London in 300 years.

Overseas Voter Regulations

Mike Freer: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what consideration he has given to changing the regulations on voting by UK citizens who are living overseas.

Chloe Smith: UK citizens resident overseas can register to vote in UK and European parliamentary elections provided that they have been registered in the UK in the past 15 years.
	We are extending the electoral timetable for UK parliamentary elections from 17 to 25 working days which will allow postal votes to be issued sooner and facilitate postal voting being viable for electors who are living overseas.

Heseltine Review

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the role of decentralisation in the implementation of the Heseltine review.

Nicholas Clegg: I very much welcome Lord Heseltine's important review, in particular his vision for greater decentralisation of economic powers and budgets to local areas.
	I am in ongoing discussions with ministerial colleagues on the implementation of the Heseltine review and the role of decentralisation in that context.

Special Advisers

David Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many special advisers work in his office.

Nicholas Clegg: The Government regularly publish details of special adviser numbers and pay bands. This information is available on the Cabinet Office website at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs-october-2012

Political and Constitutional Reform

Julie Elliott: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what constitutional and political reform he plans to pursue for the rest of the current Parliament.

Nicholas Clegg: I refer the hon. Lady to my answer to questions 3 and 5 at oral questions earlier today.

Spoilt Ballot Papers

Graham Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps the Government plan to take to reduce the number of spoilt ballot papers in future elections.

Chloe Smith: It is clearly of vital importance that voters can complete their ballot paper and make an effective voting choice. Guidance notices, which are prescribed in legislation, are displayed in polling booths, and information is provided in postal ballot packs, explaining how to mark voting preferences on the ballot paper at each type of election.
	Improvements were made to the clarity of these notices as well as the ballot paper and other voter-facing forms used at the November 2012 Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections. The Government will consider the extent to which the design changes made for those elections might be reflected at other elections to make the voting experience as accessible as possible.

Lobbying

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received on the proposed statutory register of lobbyists since September 2012.

Chloe Smith: As Minister with responsibility for this policy, I have received a number of letters from Members of Parliament expressing an interest in our proposals for a statutory register of lobbyists. I have also received correspondence on the matter from a range of stakeholders.
	The Government are committed to introducing a statutory register of lobbyists. We are continuing to carefully consider the evidence submitted in response to our consultation and will publish revised proposals in due course.

Lobbying

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what meetings he has had with interested parties on his plans to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists since September 2012.

Chloe Smith: Cabinet Office Ministers have had no meetings with interested parties on the Government's plans for a proposed statutory register of lobbyists since September 2012.
	The Government are committed to introducing a statutory register of lobbyists. We are continuing to carefully consider the evidence submitted in response to our consultation and will publish revised proposals in due course.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Sequestration: Tees Valley

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) Teesside's process industry and (b) levels of unemployment on Teesside on his decision not to award low carbon funding from the CCS Commercialisation Competition to Teesside.

John Hayes: The criteria by which projects in the carbon capture and storage competition were assessed are set out in the Invitation to Participate in Discussions (ITPD) documentation. This is available on the Contracts Finder website at:
	http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	(search CCS Commercialisation)
	Following the announcement on the selection of preferred bidders in the CCS competition on 20 March 2013, the remaining two bidders, Teesside Low Carbon and Captain Clean Energy, will be appointed as reserve projects. These bids may be called to participate in the next stage of the competition if one or both of the preferred bidders fails to enter into a front end engineering and design (FEED) contract by the summer.

Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many civil servants in his Department have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has interpreted the hon. Member’s reference to ‘non-disclosure agreements' as relating to individual compromise agreements between the Department and a current or former employee under which the employee or former employee has received a negotiated sum to specifically secure the confidentiality of the settlement.
	Our records show that one such compromise agreement was concluded in the period from 1 January 2010 to date.

Energy: Housing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total annual expenditure on (a) electricity and (b) gas by domestic users was in each year since 2003.

Gregory Barker: DECC publishes data on total annual expenditure on electricity and gas by domestic consumers in Table 1.1.6 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES): The latest published data are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Annual expenditure (£million) 
			  Electricity Gas 
			 2003 7,660 6,260 
			 2004 9,120 8,285 
			 2005 9,665 8,215 
			 2006 11,340 10,100 
			 2007 12,540 9,950 
			 2008 14,245 12,070 
			 2009 14,535 12,605 
			 2010 14,085 14,275 
			 2011 14,695 12,310 
		
	
	Data for 2012 are not yet available.
	The Digest of UK Energy Statistics is available on the DECC website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-energy-climate-change/series/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes

Energy: North Sea

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the infrastructure developments required at ports on the north-east coast to accommodate future growth in the offshore (a) oil and gas and (b) renewable energy industries.

John Hayes: The National Policy Statement for Ports, which was designated in January 2012 and is available on the gov.uk website, strongly emphasizes the vital importance of the UK port sector in catering for a range of energy imports and exports including offshore wind and hydrocarbons. Ports in the north-east of England are well placed to respond to the demand in these sectors.

Fuel Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of people lived in fuel poverty in each of the last 30 years (a) nationally and (b) in each region.

Gregory Barker: The following table shows the number and proportion of households in fuel poverty for each country in the UK, for each year that data are available since the measurement of fuel poverty started in 1996.
	
		
			   1996 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 England Thousand 5,100 1,222 1,236 1,529 2,432 2,819 3,335 3,964 3,536 
			  Percentage 25 6 6 7 11 13 16 18 16 
		
	
	
		
			   1996 2002 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Scotland Thousand 756 293 350 419 543 586 618 770 658 
			  Percentage 36 13 15 18 24 25 27 33 28 
		
	
	
		
			   2004 2005* 2006* 2008 2009* 2010* 
			 Wales Thousand 134 167 250 332 368 332 
			  Percentage 11 14 21 26 29 26 
		
	
	
		
			   2004 2006 2009 
			 Northern Ireland Thousand 154 226 302 
			  Percentage 24 34 44 
		
	
	Data for England are taken from the annual Fuel Poverty Statistics, based on the English Housing Survey (EHS). Data for Scotland are taken from the Scottish House Condition Survey. This survey changed to a calendar year basis in 2007, making it consistent with the English Housing Survey. Data for Wales are taken from the Living in Wales survey. Years marked with an asterisk (*) indicate those for which fuel poverty in Wales has been estimated, by taking data from a previous year where actual data were available, and applying predicted price and income changes. Data for Northern Ireland are taken from the Northern Ireland House Condition Survey.
	The following table shows the number and proportion of households in fuel poverty in each region in England between 2003 and 2010. This information is only available from 2003 onwards. This table can also be found in the long-term trends tables of our annual fuel poverty publication (in table 19). This can be found here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-energy-climate-change/series/fuel-poverty-statistics
	
		
			  Fuel poor 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 North East Thousand 95 103 126 179 206 236 272 238 
			  Percentage 8.7 9.5 11.5 16.4 18.6 21.2 24.1 21.3 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Thousand 180 163 169 273 333 407 444 415 
			  Percentage 8.6 7.7 8.0 12.7 15.5 18.2 19.9 18.6 
			 North West Thousand 178 190 268 415 412 531 649 601 
			  Percentage 6.3 6.6 9.2 14.2 16.1 18.1 22.1 20.3 
			 East Midlands Thousand 112 101 145 236 212 359 398 341 
			  Percentage 6.3 5.7 8.1 12.9 14.8 19.2 21.4 18.1 
			 West Midlands Thousand 146 153 197 304 383 500 589 485 
			  Percentage 6.7 7.0 8.9 13.7 17.2 22.5 26.2 21.6 
			 South West Thousand 139 134 181 256 259 339 411 342 
			  Percentage 6.5 6.2 8.3 11.6 11.7 75.5 18.4 15.2 
			 East of England Thousand 115 141 155 224 253 292 388 381 
			  Percentage 5.1 6.1 6.7 9.7 10.8 12.5 16.2 16.0 
			 South East Thousand 149 133 169 291 333 342 411 401 
			  Percentage 4.4 3.9 4.9 8.5 9.5 9.9 11.8 11.5 
			 London Thousand 108 119 120 254 309 328 402 331 
			  Percentage 3.6 3.9 3.9 8.3 10.0 10.8 13.3 10.9

Fuel Poverty

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration his Department has given to introducing lifeline tariffs for those energy customers in the UK who are at most risk of energy poverty.

Gregory Barker: Help with energy bills for those in the UK who are in or at risk of fuel poverty is provided by the warm home discount. This provides help annually to around two million low income and vulnerable households. This winter that included a £130 discount on electricity bills paid to around 1.16 million of the poorest pensioners.
	In addition, Ofgem's retail market review proposals will ensure that all consumers are on the cheapest tariff in line with their preferences. The Government have also introduced clauses into the Energy Bill so that we can act to implement these important reforms in the event that Ofgem's proposals are frustrated or unduly delayed.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on outside consultancy services for the Green Deal since May 2010.

Gregory Barker: The Department has focused on developing the Green Deal through industry-led working groups, so we have not engaged consultants in any significant way, but we have taken some consultancy advice with spend as follows:
	2010-11: £178,000
	2011-12: £305,000

Green Park Interim and Executive

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the purpose was of his Department's payment of £5,400 to Green Park Interim and Executive Ltd on 18 January 2013.

Gregory Barker: The Department has employed a short-term contractor from Green Park Interim and Executive Ltd to undertake specialist work as part of our departmental digital strategy.

Home Energy Conservation Act 1995

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take after 31 March 2013 in response to the publication of the reports pursuant to the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) reporting requirements were revitalised and fundamentally changed with new guidance being issued to all English local authorities (LAs) in July 2012. The reports due by 31 March 2013 are therefore the first time LAs have reported under the new arrangements.
	The Department will consider the HECA reports to review the action proposed by LAs and how we might best work with them to improve the energy efficiency of their residential accommodation, including sharing best practice.

Northern Ireland

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive; and what issues were discussed.

Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers meet regularly with Ministers from the devolved Administrations to discuss a range of issues. As has been the case with successive Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Peat Bogs

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what reports he has received on whether floating roads, built to provide vehicular access over windfarms, sink into peatlands;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the risk of drying out, cracking and potential peat-pipe formation on peatlands as a result of construction of floating roads;
	(3)  how many windfarm developments involving deep peat have received a formal risk matrix prior to construction to date;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the risk posed by peat slides that occur as a result of constructing windfarms on peatland.

Gregory Barker: Applicants for consent for major energy infrastructure must provide assessments of potential biodiversity and geological impacts which would include an assessment of the effects of locating the infrastructure on peatland if that was the case. The decision-making authority would need to take such impacts into account before making its decision.
	The National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3)(1) contains further information on the assessment of applications for consent for onshore wind farms on peat.
	The Department has not undertaken, nor received, any specific assessments on these issues.
	(1)https://Whitehall-admin.production.alphagov.co.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/37048/1940-nps-renewable-energy-en3.pdf

Peat Bogs

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the potential for reducing UK greenhouse gas emissions by including peatlands in the total green house gas emissions calculation; and if he will place details of any such analysis in the Library.

Gregory Barker: We acknowledge the importance of peatlands in maintaining carbon stocks and recognise their potential for sequestering additional carbon.
	At present, peatlands are not accounted for in UK greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets calculation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will publish a methodology to account for peatlands in July 2013, and we are currently considering what land use and forestry activities the UK will account for in the period 2013-20.
	The UK greenhouse gas inventory is published every year and includes emissions estimates from peat extraction within the Wetlands category of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector of the annual UK greenhouse gas inventory.

Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the estimated Resource DEL underspend in financial year 2012-13 of £300 million as set out in Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book which service areas in his Department have received reduced resources; what the amounts of resource reduction were; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book shows the difference between Budget 2012 plans and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)'s latest estimates of its full-year position.
	In addition to forecast underspend against final plans, since Budget 2012 the Department surrendered £253 million of RDEL at the supplementary estimates. Of this, £73 million is available for future years through the Budget Exchange mechanism, £189 million was switched from the Department's resource budget to the capital budget and an offsetting amount of £9 million was transferred to DECC from other Government Departments.
	The Department will set out its spending for the year in detail in its annual accounts in the usual way.

Radioactive Waste

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the selection of a site for the storage of radioactive waste from existing and former nuclear sites; and if he will make a statement. [Official Report, 17 April 2013, Vol. 561, c. 1MC.]

John Hayes: The UK's higher activity radioactive waste is currently held in safe and secure storage facilities at various nuclear sites around the country. Government set out our approach to implementing a geological disposal facility (GDF) to dispose of the UK's higher activity radioactive waste in the 2008 White Paper “Managing Radioactive Waste Safely: A Framework for Implementing Geological Disposal”.
	The Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS) process is based on the principles of voluntarism and partnership. It is a staged process, one in which potential host communities ‘decide to participate' (without commitment) in site identification and assessment for a potential GDF. To date, no sites have been selected. The Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS) programme is a very long-term one, and Government remain confident that a suitable site for a GDF will be found.
	The current invitation remains open for volunteer communities to express an interest, without commitment, in the MRWS process. At the same time, Government have been working to learn the lessons of the recent experience gained in west Cumbria—as the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change affirmed in his written ministerial statement earlier today, we will launch in May a public call for evidence on the site selection process of the MRWS programme. The evidence provided in response to this call will inform a public consultation later this year on how this process might be improved.
	With regards to the recent experience in west Cumbria, both Copeland and Allerdale borough councils decided to proceed to site identification and assessment, however, Cumbria county council did not. Since Government had given a specific commitment in west Cumbria that there should be agreement at both borough and county level before progressing to the next stage, this decision brought the existing site selection process to an end in west Cumbria.

Said Business School

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the purpose was of his Department's payment of £25,000 to Oxford Said Business School Ltd on 16 January 2013.

Gregory Barker: This payment was for a DECC director's place on cohort 3 of the Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA).

SMP Commercial

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the purpose was of his Department's payment of £326,782.54 to SMP Commercial in January 2013.

Gregory Barker: “SMP Commercial” is a business area within the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The expenditure relates to payments to suppliers supporting the delivery of the Smart Metering Implementation Programme's competitions for the Data and Communications Company.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) his Department in each of the last three years.

Gregory Barker: For the numbers operated by this Department and its agencies, the Department has taken zero revenue in the last three years.
	Any revenue which may be retained by the telephone provider is not specifically known to the Department at this time.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which telephone lines are operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible for public enquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller.

Gregory Barker: This Department and its agencies operate the following numbers:
	Department Public Enquiry Unit/Press Office—0300 060 4000 (operated by Level 3 as a standard non-geographic number at a national rate to the caller).
	Department Out of Hours emergency inquiries—020 7215 3505 (operated by BT as a local rate charge to the caller).
	Energy Saving Scotland—0800 512 012 (operated by BT and free to BT landline users).
	The Coal Authority (subsidence and mining report inquiries)—0845 762 6848 (operated by BT as a standard non-geographic number charged at up to 10p per minute).

Wind Power

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the (a) level of carbon emissions resulting from the construction of each onshore wind turbine and (b) total amount of energy produced by such turbines annually.

Gregory Barker: The carbon footprint for onshore wind electricity production ranges between 8-20gCO2eq/kWh, taking into account emissions incurred during the manufacture, construction, maintenance, and decommissioning phases:
	http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn_383-carbon-footprint-electricity-generation.pdf
	Research suggests that the average wind farm is expected to generate at least 20 to 25 times the energy used in its manufacture, installation, operation and eventual decommissioning over its lifetime; the average energy payback time for a wind farm is between three and 10 months:
	http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/FACULTY/ITO/GG410/Wind/Kubiszewski_EROI_Wind_RenEn10.pdf
	In 2011, onshore wind generated 1.0.4 TWh of electricity. This is taken from the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES) 2012, table 6.4, which is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes

Wind Power: Thames Estuary

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the establishment of windfarms on commercial shipping in the Thames Estuary.

John Hayes: We recognise that it is important that the offshore wind and shipping industries are able to work alongside each other to maximise the benefits for both sectors and for the United Kingdom as a whole.
	All applications for renewable energy developments are considered within a formal process. Any consideration of the potential impacts of any wind farm in the Thames Estuary, including upon shipping and shipping lanes, during this process will take account of the views of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (the Government's advisers on navigational safety matters), Trinity House and other relevant stakeholders, including port authorities.
	In addition, there are regular meetings between the shipping industry (commercial and recreational), wind farm developers, regulators and Government to discuss shipping and renewable energy issues through the Nautical and Offshore Renewable Energy Liaison Group.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Fires

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to make the UK economy more resilient to incidents of fire;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to reduce the (a) number and (b) severity of fires in industrial and commercial premises.

Michael Fallon: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth (Brandon Lewis), on 14 March 2013, Official Report, column reference 287W.

Green Deal Finance Company

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much capital has the Green Investment Bank provided to the Green Deal finance company since the establishment of that company.

Michael Fallon: Details of the Green Investment Bank's participation in the finance package for the Green Deal are due to be announced shortly.

Green Investment Bank

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the Budget 2013 Red Book, Table 2.5, which capital items and projects are no longer proceeding as a consequence of the underspend by the Green Investment Bank in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: There are no specific projects or capital spending plans that are no longer proceeding. The UK Green Investment Bank has full flexibility to carry forward capital under-spends within this spending review period. The bank is confident it will commit the full £3 billion the Government are providing for the period to April 2015.

Higher Education: Admissions

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on the rate of university admissions, excluding admissions from overseas, of young people from different ethnic groups and each income level relative to the proportion of such groups to the overall population of young people;
	(2)  what information his Department holds on the rate of university admissions, excluding admissions from overseas, of young people from different ethnic groups, relative to the proportion of such groups to the overall population of young people; and what those figures would be if different levels of academic achievement were taken into account.

David Willetts: The information is not held centrally. Data on applications and acceptances to full-time undergraduate courses by ethnic group are collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and are available from their website at:
	http://www.ucas.com/about_us/stat_services/stats_online/data tables/
	Information on the numbers of entrants to both full-time and part-time undergraduate courses by ethnic group is collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and is available from their website at:
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/view/1973/239/
	Neither organisation publishes admissions by ethnic group as a percentage of the overall population of young people.
	Both UCAS and HESA are organisations independent from Government. The Government are firmly committed to improving the information available about higher education through the key information set and other initiatives, and is in favour of transparency on who applies to and who attends higher education.

Higher Education: Admissions

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many university applications made through UCAS came from students at private and independent schools in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: The information is given in the table:
	
		
			 UK domiciled applicants to UCAS who were from independent schools 
			  Year of entry 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Total UK applicants 502,461 544,285 586,821 589,350 544,752 
			 of which:      
			 from independent schools 42,018 43,848 42,386 38,410 36,068

Higher Education: Radicalism

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what working groups his Department has formed on combating religious extremism in universities.

David Willetts: There are no BIS led working groups on combating religious extremism in universities. Officials in BIS are part of the wider Home Office and DCLG led groups on preventing extremism.

Higher Education: Scotland

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on how many occasions the Minister of State for Universities has (a) met, (b) spoken on the telephone and (c) corresponded with the vice-chancellors of universities in Scotland in each year since 2010.

David Willetts: Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published quarterly on the gov.uk internet site and details are available via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills/series/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012
	I have not spoken on the telephone with the vice-chancellors of universities in Scotland in each year since 2010.
	I have corresponded with Scottish vice-chancellors on 13 occasions since 2010.

Industrial Disputes

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made a public response to the concerns recently raised by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, with regards to proscriptions on the right to strike such as the ban on secondary picketing in force since 1982; and what assessment he has made of those concerns.

Jo Swinson: Although the Special Rapporteur has identified some preliminary findings, his full report is yet to be published.
	The Government support the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and believes that the UK complies with human rights obligations in respect of trade union law.

Overseas Trade: Israel

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the UK-Israel Tech Hub.

David Willetts: The UK-Israel Tech Hub was launched in October 2011 by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and with the active support and involvement of BIS, in order to drive UK economic growth by helping British companies partner with the best of Israeli innovation.
	The Hub conducted a process of strategic planning and consultation with industry leaders on both sides to identify sectors with unique UK/Israel synergies—including Digital, Biomed, Cleantech, Arabic Internet, Government IT and Finance. Within these sectors, priorities have been mapped out and targeted activities executed to address these priorities.
	Following the launch of the Hub, I visited Israel at the end of October 2011, on a high tech mission to promote the UK as a natural partner for Israeli high tech and to develop an understanding of the Israeli high tech scene.
	I also co-chair the UK-Israel High Tech Council, launched in March 2012, with Israel's Chief Scientist, Avi Hasson.
	The UK-Israel Tech Hub has been defined as a three-year experiment and the assessment to date is that it is meeting and even exceeding expectations within this short time frame. Achievements to date include:
	In the digital sector—three inward investment successes (opening offices in the UK), over 20 prospective commercial partnerships, and a positive change in perception among Israeli participants regarding the attractiveness of the tech environment; and
	In the biomed sector—three Israeli companies planning clinical trials in the UK.

Visits Abroad

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many overseas visits have been made by Ministers of his Department to support trade and investment in each year since 2010.

Michael Fallon: Details of all overseas visits undertaken by Ministers at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills are published on a quarterly basis on the gov.uk website
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills/series/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012
	Details covering 2012 Q4 will be published shortly.
	The information includes name, date, destination, purpose of the trip and cost by each Minister.

TREASURY

Bank Notes

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will discuss with the Governor of the Bank of England the possibility and merits of introducing plastic banknotes into circulation.

Sajid Javid: The Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly meets with the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss a wide range of issues.
	The issuing of banknotes is the responsibility of the Bank of England. The Bank of England is committed to ensuring public confidence in the availability, quality and security of the currency. The bank continually looks at the security features of the notes and at methods of production and printing, including the use of alternative substrates.

Climate Change Levy: Bricks

Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to his Statement on the exemption of the ceramics industry for the Climate Change Levy, Official Report, column 938, if brick-making is included in the exemption; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: Budget 2013 announced that the Government will introduce exemptions from the climate change levy for energy used in metallurgical and mineralogical processes from 1 April 2014.
	The Government are working closely with industry to determine the appropriate scope and design of this relief, including which processes should be covered.

Economic Growth

Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the financial statement of 20 March 2013, Official Report, column 938, whether the single local growth fund will be funded by his Department or by existing funding transferred from other Government departments.

Danny Alexander: The Government announced at the autumn statement of 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, that we would devolve a greater proportion of growth-related spending on the basis of plans developed by LEPs by creating a single funding pot for local areas from April 2015.
	The Government's response to the Heseltine Review published on the 18 March 2013 confirmed that the Government would create a single local growth fund with the full details on the size and content to be announced alongside the spending round later this year.

Economic Growth

Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the financial statement of 20 March 2013, Official Report, column 938, which Government departments will contribute from their departmental budgets to the single local growth fund.

Danny Alexander: The Government's response to the Heseltine Review published on 18 March 2013 confirmed that the Government would create a single local growth fund with the full details on the size and content to be announced alongside the spending round later this year.
	The response confirmed that the single local growth fund would contain elements of transport, housing and skills budgets. And that as part of the spending round the Government will also review all the other funding streams that Lord Heseltine identified in his report.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Equitable Life payment scheme to have completed the paying out of compensation to policyholders.

Sajid Javid: The payment scheme expects to complete payments in 2014 as planned.

Excise Duties: Beer

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the 1980 court ruling in the case of European Commission vs UK, Number 170/78, what assessment he has made of the extent to which his decision to cut duty for beer, but not other alcoholic beverages, complies with European law.

Sajid Javid: EU law requires duty on average strength beer and wine to be broadly similar, which, following the Budget, remains the case across the UK.
	The average strength of wine has been increasing in recent years and per unit of alcohol the duty on wine has increased by less than the duty on beer.

Financial Services: Cyprus

Kevan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what meetings and communications (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with their counterparts at the Ministry of Defence on the effect of the Cypriot savings levy on members of the UK armed forces serving in Cyprus;
	(2)  pursuant to his oral statement of 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 167W, when he is planning to meet the Secretary of State for Defence on the situation of UK armed forces personnel potentially affected by the Cypriot savings levy;
	(3)  what his definition is of the phrase reasonable losses, for which the Government will compensate members of the armed forces who are serving in Cyprus and are affected by the Cypriot savings levy.

Greg Clark: holding answer 22 March 2013
	My right hon. Friend the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made clear that all military and government personnel sent to serve in Cyprus, and their families will be protected from any losses on their personal deposits. This applies to any affected personal account—current accounts and savings accounts.
	The Chancellor and his ministerial colleagues meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues.
	Treasury Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations. This is available online at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Financial Services: Cyprus

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what support he is offering to UK citizens with bank deposits in Cyprus of over 100,000 euros;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of guaranteeing certain bank deposits of UK citizens in Cyprus.

Greg Clark: Deposits in Cypriot banks in Cyprus are subject to the laws and regulations of the Republic of Cyprus.
	Those who have been sent to Cyprus to serve our military or our Government, and their families, will be protected in full from any losses on their personal deposits.
	As the situation in Cyprus is still fluid, with banks remaining shut and the details of proposals not yet finalised, it is not possible to offer a figure on what the cost of this commitment is, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
	We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Pay: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the number of individuals in work in Peterborough constituency who earn between £9,440 and £12,230 per annum;
	(2)  if he will estimate how many individuals in Peterborough constituency earn between £9,205 and £12,000; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of individuals in work in Peterborough constituency who earn between £9,440 & £12,230 per annum (149592); and £9,205 & £12,000 per annum (150102).
	In April 2012, no reliable statistics can be produced from ASHE on the proportion of employee jobs with the gross annual earnings specified in Peterborough constituency due to the small sample size at this geographical breakdown.

PAYE

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons he has delayed for small firms the requirement in the new PAYE Real Time Information system that employers should make a PAYE submission on or before each payment to an employee; and in what circumstances he would consider a further such delay.

David Gauke: In developing PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) HMRC has worked closely with employers, their representatives, payroll bureaux and agents to understand the impact of RTI. As a consequence of these consultations it recognises that some small employers who pay their employees more frequently but currently only process their payroll monthly may need longer to adapt to reporting PAYE information in real time. HMRC has therefore agreed a transitional relaxation of reporting arrangements for small businesses. However, all businesses will still be required to report real time information at the time of their payroll or at the very latest by the end of the tax month. Working with representatives of small business and the accountancy profession, HMRC agreed this as an appropriate easement at the start of this transitional year for RTI in which it is supporting all businesses through the implementation without the threat of penalties.
	HMRC has no plans to extend this reporting relaxation beyond 5 October 2013. It will, however, continue to work with employer representatives during the summer to assess the impact of RTI on the smallest businesses and consider whether it can make improvements to real time reporting which will address their concerns without compromising the benefits of RTI or the success of the Department for Work and Pension's universal credit.

Public Expenditure: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Barnett consequentials will be awarded to the Welsh Government as a result of the creation of a new UK aerospace technology institute.

Danny Alexander: The proposed funding will be directed towards science and innovation on a UK wide basis and, as these matters are reserved, there will be no Barnett consequentials.
	However Wales will benefit directly from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) with businesses such as those in the aerospace cluster based around the North Wales border benefiting from access to the £2.1 billion fund.

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people in Poplar and Limehouse constituency will be affected by the changes to working tax credit due to take place in April 2013;
	(2)  how many people in Poplar and Limehouse will be affected by the changes in child benefit due to take effect in April 2013.

Sajid Javid: Forecasts of the number of tax credits claimants are not available at parliamentary constituency level and we have not estimated the number of people who would be affected by working tax credit policy changes. As at December 2012, there were 6.3 thousand in-work families in Poplar and Limehouse constituency. This information can be found in HMRC's published National Statistics here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/prov-geog-stats/cwtc-geog-dec12.xls
	There are no changes to the pre-announced child benefit policy taking place at April 2013. As at August 2012, there were 15.7 thousand families in receipt of child benefit in Poplar and Limehouse constituency. More information can be found in HMRC's published National Statistics, here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/child-geog-stats/chb-geog-aug12.xls

Taxation: Electricity

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the merits of introducing an hypothecated windfall tax to remove unanticipated and unreasonable profit resulting from the interaction of the Renewables Obligation and the Carbon Price Support; and if he will consider allocating the revenue from such a tax to electricity consumers. [R]

Sajid Javid: The Government have no current plans to impose a windfall tax. Our priority is to provide business with the confidence to invest and expand, helping to return the UK economy to sustainable, balanced growth. This means having a tax system that is competitive, stable, simple and predictable. The carbon price floor will provide greater certainty for investors to incentivise investment now in new low carbon electricity generation.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax Benefits

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities applied for additional funds to supplement their new council tax support schemes by 31 January 2013; and how much has been allocated to each such local authority.

Brandon Lewis: Further to the offer outlined in my written statement of 16 October 2012, Official Report, columns 13-14WS, 195 billing authorities will receive transition funding to help them in the first year of running local council tax support. This represents more than two-thirds of billing authorities. A table detailing the funding has been placed in the Library.
	The localisation of council tax support will help tackle the deficit, delivering ongoing savings of £470 million a year of taxpayers' money, and it will give all councils stronger incentives to cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people back into work.
	The transition scheme is promoting best practice that I hope all councils will learn from, and will help give councils time to deliver savings from fraud and error, which saw £200 million wrongly paid out in 2011-12.

Council Tax Benefits

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many and which local authorities in England have (a) applied for council tax benefit transition grants and (b) been successful;
	(2)  how much council tax transition grant has been awarded to local authorities in England in total to date.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 28 February 2013
	I refer the right hon. Member to the response I gave to the hon. Member for North Devon (Sir Nick Harvey) today, PQ 144024.

Housing

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to his answer of 18 October 2011, Official Report, column 905W, on housing, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of (a) increasing longevity, (b) net immigration, (c) average size of household and (d) other factors on demand for housing.

Mark Prisk: Since the question was last asked, no new projections of household growth have been made, and as such the answer is the same as in October 2011.

Housing Associations: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the level of arrears of housing associations based in London; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 4 March 2013
	The 2012 Global Accounts of housing providers, published by the social housing regulator on Wednesday 20 March, show that current tenant arrears at the end of the 2011-12 financial year were 4.8% in England.
	This is an improvement on performance in arrears compared to 2010-11. The report also notes that the overall financial performance of the sector improved compared to the year before.
	We are not able to provide information on the level of arrears of housing associations in London because many housing associations own stock across local authority areas.

Housing: Construction

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the promotion of new build, zero carbon homes.

Don Foster: holding answer 14 March 2013
	Budget 2013 reaffirmed the Government's commitment to implementing ‘zero carbon homes' from 2016. The Department will publish a detailed plan, setting out its response to the 2012 consultation on the energy efficiency requirements in building regulations, by May 2013. The Government will then consult on next steps, including on the means of delivering allowable solutions, by summer recess.

Housing: Construction

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he next intends to issue guidance to local authorities on support for self-builders.

Mark Prisk: Industry-led guidance ‘Planning for Custom Build Housing: A Practice Guide’ was launched in November 2012 by the National Self Build Association. This offers advice to local authorities, housing associations, developers and self-build community groups on the ways they can facilitate self- and custom-build development and make it easier for people to build their own homes. The guidance can be downloaded free from their website.
	We are currently reviewing what further steps can be taken to ensure that self-build and genuine small scale development is not adversely affected by the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Housing: Sustainable Development

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of the major housing decisions made in 2012 attained (a) Code level 4 and (b) Code level 5 or above of the Code for Sustainable Homes; how many such houses were built on greenfield land; what proportion of the completed units were affordable; and if he will make a statement.

Don Foster: The Government do not hold information in the form requested, distinguishing the types of sites on which Code homes are constructed. Statistical information about the Code for Sustainable Homes and the energy performance of buildings is however published quarterly on the Gov.uk website. In 2012 Code level 4 completion certificates were issued for 9,468 homes, of which 7,640 were publicly funded. Similarly in 2012, Code level 5 and 6 completion certificates were issued for 234 homes, of which 211 were publicly funded.

Olympic Games 2012

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any funds from the public purse will be spent refurbishing and modifying the Olympic Stadium in preparation for any sale.

Brandon Lewis: Parliament, in passing the Localism Act, devolved a number of functions, including responsibility for the Olympic legacy in London, to the Mayor of London. Therefore, the Mayor is now accountable to Londoners and the London Assembly for the delivery of these functions in London and the use of the resources provided to support them. The Mayor established the London Legacy Development Corporation to manage the long-term planning, development, management and maintenance of the Olympic Park and its facilities after the London 2012 Games. There are no current plans to sell the stadium.
	On 22 March the Corporation announced that West Ham United Football Club has been confirmed as the stadium's long-term anchor tenant with a 99 year concession, paying approximately £2 million in rent per year. West Ham will also make a contribution of £15 million towards the cost of transforming the stadium into a multi-use venue with a roof to pitch side and retractable seating that is suitable for athletics, football and other events.
	The remaining funding for the transformation of the stadium will come from the London borough of Newham (£40 million), the Corporation/Mayor of London (£52.6 million), the Public Sector Funding Package (£38.7 million) and the Public Works Loan Board (£18.7 million).
	The Government are committed to ensuring that the Olympic Stadium provides a long-term and viable legacy for the Olympic Games and therefore agreed to make an exceptional contribution of £25 million towards the transformation costs, should it be required once the tenders are returned.
	The total public sector contribution towards the cost of transforming the stadium is £175 million. The stadium and its transformation will be managed by the Legacy Corporation and Newham council using a dedicated joint venture E20 Stadium LLP. The partnership, announced in July 2012, will help secure extensive community benefits including jobs and sport and education activity, with community access to both the stadium and the new 400m community track. The E20 Stadium partnership will now procure a stadium operator to manage the venue, coordinate community and sporting use, and to bring in various concerts and events.
	The stadium transformation will ensure that it has both the capacity and facilities to attract cultural and sporting events on a one-off basis and through long-term regular use.

Planning Permission

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has any plans to deregulate the publication of planning permission applications in local newspapers.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 21 March 2013
	Ministers have been clear that, in an internet age, commercial newspapers should expect over time less state advertising as more information is syndicated online by local authorities for free. The flipside is the free press should not face state unfair competition from town hall newspapers and municipal propaganda dressed up as local reporting.
	However, my Department does not have any current plans to remove the statutory requirement for certain planning applications to be advertised in newspapers. Such notices ensure that the public are informed of decisions by their local authority which may affect their quality of life, local amenity or their property. This is especially the case in relation to planning applications, where there is a limited period for local residents to make representations.
	The last Administration produced a consultation paper on this issue, proposing to remove the statutory requirements to publish notices in newspapers (Department for Communities and Local Government, ‘Publicity for planning applications’, July 2009). This was not well-received. Following that consultation, the Administration concluded:
	“The Government has decided not to take forward this amendment. This means that the statutory requirement to publish certain applications in newspapers remains. It is clear from the responses that some members of the public and community groups rely on the statutory notices in newspapers to learn about planning applications in their area. The Government is not convinced that good alternative arrangements can be readily rolled out”.
	(Department for Communities and Local Government, ‘Publicity for planning applications: Summary of responses to consultation’, December 2009, p. 14).
	More broadly, in response to his implicit suggestion that such notices should be abolished in newspapers, I would direct the hon. Member to a passage from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
	“People of Earth, your attention, please... This is Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz of the Galactic Hyperspace Planning Council. As you will no doubt be aware, the plans for development of the outlying regions of the Galaxy require the building of a hyperspatial express route through your star system, and regrettably, your planet is one of those scheduled for demolition. The process will take slightly less than two of your Earth minutes. Thank you...
	There's no point in acting surprised about it. All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at your local planning department in Alpha Centauri for fifty of your Earth years, so you've had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint and it's far too late to start making a fuss about it now...
	What do you mean you've never been to Alpha Centauri? Oh, for heaven's sake, mankind, it's only four light years away, you know. I'm sorry, but if you can't be bothered to take an interest in local affairs, that's your own lookout. Energize the demolition beams.”

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the number of political prisoners in Burma; and what steps he is taking to secure their release.

Hugo Swire: Independent reports indicate that around 200 political prisoners could remain in Burma's jails.
	We remain in regular contact with released political prisoners and their representatives. We welcome the creation by the Burmese Government of a committee on political prisoners and note the range of independent civil society organisations taking part. This committee builds on earlier steps by the Burmese Government to grant the International Committee for the Red Cross access to prisoners and prisons. We continue to press for all cases to be reviewed promptly, impartially and transparently.

Burma

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture on the treatment of prisoners in Buthidaung Prison in northern Rakhine State.

Hugo Swire: We have not had any recent discussions with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. However, we have regular discussions with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights situation in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana. These meetings cover the full range of human rights issues in Burma, including the issue of political prisoners. Mr Quintana's report on 6 March highlighted concerns about the ongoing practice of torture in places of detention in Burma, and set out allegations that Muslim prisoners detained in Buthidaung prison in Rakhine State after last June and October's violence had been tortured and beaten to death.
	On 7 March, our ambassador discussed the plight of Rohingya prisoners in Buthidaung jail with the Burmese Minister for Border Affairs.
	We continue to press for full and prompt implementation of the mechanism set up by the Burmese Government for reviewing disputed cases and for the unconditional release of political prisoners with senior members of the Burmese Government, as I did during my visit to Burma in December 2012.

Burma

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the treatment of Kachin men accused of belonging to the Kachin Independence Army by the government of Burma; and whether he has discussed this issue at UN or EU level.

Hugo Swire: We are aware of credible reports of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Kachin men accused of belonging to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), most recently raised by UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, in his report to the UN Human Rights Council. We remain deeply concerned over recent military action and reported wider human rights abuses against civilians in Kachin State.
	British officials regularly raise the situation in Kachin State bilaterally with the Burmese Government, through the EU, most recently during a visit to Kachin State from 12-13 March, as well as at the UN, including the latest Human Rights Council session. We also continue to press urgently for humanitarian access to KIA-controlled areas.

Chemical Weapons: Conferences

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what outcomes the Government want to see achieved at the forthcoming Chemical Weapons Convention 3rd Review Conference.

Alistair Burt: The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) has proved an invaluable tool to progress our objective to see a world free from chemical weapons. We welcome the progress made to destroy 78% of the world's declared chemical weapons. While completion of destruction is essential, we want the third CWC review conference to also focus on ensuring that chemical weapons cannot return. We want the Director General of the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons to be given a clear mandate to enable the organisation to focus more on chemical safety and security issues. We want to see an even greater effort to bring into the convention the remaining eight non-states parties, including Syria; to promote effective national implementation of the convention by all states parties; for the convention and its verification regime to take into full account developments in Science & Technology and, in doing so, promote awareness of the “dual use” risks from chemistry among scientists and engineers.

Cyprus

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rights the UK has to (a) natural gas, (b) oil and (c) other natural resources off the coast of Cyprus as a result of the British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

David Lidington: The UK claims a territorial sea of three nautical miles for the Sovereign Base Areas and reserves the rights to claim up to 12 nautical miles. The declaration made by the Government in 1960 makes clear the UK’s intention not to develop the Sovereign Base Areas for other than military purposes.

International Organisations

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which subscriptions due to be paid by the UK to international organisations in 2012-13 will now not be paid until 2013-14; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: All UK subscriptions due to be paid by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to international organisations in 2012-13 have been paid. No payments due to be made in the current financial year have been deferred to 2013-14.

Morocco

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the Moroccan authorities their policy of criminalisation of calls for self-determination in Western Sahara.

Alistair Burt: We strongly support UN-led efforts to encourage agreement on a long-lasting and mutually-acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. We support Morocco's commitment with regards to adopting and implementing international human rights standards. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Moroccan authorities on human rights issues through our existing frank and open dialogue.

Morocco

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will raise with the Moroccan authorities the concerns of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture regarding the fact that the allegations of torture and ill-treatment during the almost two years of pre-trial detention of 25 Saharawi civilians tried for their alleged role in the violent clashes that occurred in Western Sahara following the closure of the Gdeim Izik camp have not been investigated;
	(2)  if he will raise with the Moroccan authorities the concerns of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture that 25 Saharawi civilians are being tried before a military court for their alleged role in the violent clashes that occurred in Western Sahara following the closure of the Gdeim Izik camp in November 2010.

Alistair Burt: We welcome the report of Mr Juan Mendez, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, and Morocco's openness in allowing him to visit, which indicates a genuine political will to address a continued improvement in human rights. We will encourage and support Morocco in the implementation of the recommendations and continue to raise our concerns with the Moroccan authorities on human rights issues through our existing frank and open dialogue.

Morocco

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on progress made by MINURSO in organising and supervising the referendum on Western Sahara self-determination since the UN Security Council agreed its Resolution 2044.

Alistair Burt: MINURSO reports each year to the UN Security Council, most recently in document 2/0212/197 dated April 2012 which states
	“The stalled political process has meant that MINURSO has not been able to implement a referendum or continue organisational preparations for the transition process.”

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time in accident and emergency was in (a) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, (b) Nottingham University Hospitals Trust and (c) England in each of the last four (i) quarters and (ii) years.

Anna Soubry: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 Mean and median duration to departure(1) (minutes) for accident and emergency (A&E) attendances(2) (excluding planned)(3) 2011-12 
			  Q1—April to June Q2—July to September Q3—October to December Q4—January to March 
			  Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 England 136.9 125 133.5 120 139.0 125 143.2 129 
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 130.3 124 130.7 123 140.0 134 146.3 141 
			 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 143.3 136 141.0 132 143.2 136 152.6 143 
		
	
	
		
			 Mean and median duration to departure(1) (minutes) for A&E attendances(2) (excluding planned)(3) 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 England 136.2 117 134.7 122 145.7 130 138.2 125 
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 122.6 115 123.7 115 129.3 123 136.8 130 
			 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 128.5 119 130.1 123 137.4 132 145.1 137 
			 (1)Duration to Departure (in minutes): The time (expressed as a whole number of minutes) between the patient's arrival and the time the A&E attendance has concluded and the department is no longer responsible for the care of the patient. (2) Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. (3)A& E Attendances: A&E Attendances in HES, relates to the number of recorded attendances. A&E attendances do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. HES A&E figures exclude planned follow up attendances. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve the performance of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Anna Soubry: From 1 April 2013 this will be a matter for the NHS Commissioning Board. As set out in the NHS Mandate, the NHS Commissioning Board's objective is to uphold the NHS Constitution rights and commitments, and where possible to improve the levels of performance in access to care.

Breast Cancer: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of women in Brigg and Goole constituency with suspected breast cancer saw a specialist within two weeks in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: The information is not available in the format requested. The number of patients urgently referred by their general practitioner for suspected breast cancer, and the number and percentage seen within two weeks, at North Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust since Q4 2008-09 is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 North Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Period Total number of patients Number seen by a specialist within two weeks Percentage seen within two weeks 
			 2008-09    
			 Q4 318 316 99.4 
			     
			 2009-10    
			 Q1 345 344 99.7 
			 Q2 295 290 98.3 
			 Q3 345 326 94.5 
			 Q4 403 397 98.5 
			     
			 2010-11    
			 Q1 401 396 98.8 
			 Q2 390 384 98.5 
			 Q3 371 369 99.5 
			 Q4 370 366 98.9. 
			     
			 2011-12    
			 Q1 342 339 99.1 
			 Q2 347 346 99.7 
			 Q3 321 317 98.8 
			 Q4 405 402 99.3 
			     
			 2012-13    
			 Q1 367 366 99.7 
			 Q2 334 332 99.4 
			 Q3 442 433 98.0 
			 Source: Department of Health, Cancer Waiting Times Database 
		
	
	
		
			 Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Period Total number of patients Number seen by a specialist within two weeks Percentage seen within two weeks 
			 2008-09    
			 Q4 347 326 93.9 
			     
			 2009-10    
			 Q1 346 329 95.1 
			 Q2 406 383 94.3 
			 Q3 361 347 96.1 
			 Q4 370 362 97.8 
			     
			 2010-11    
			 Q1 417 406 97.4 
			 Q2 376 366 97.3 
			 Q3 354 341 96.3 
			 Q4 402 391 97.3 
			     
			 2011-12    
			 Q1 406 396 97.5 
			 Q2 367 362 98.6 
			 Q3 426 419 98.4 
			 Q4 381 374 98.2 
			     
			 2012-13    
			 Q1 410 396 96.6 
			 Q2 392 380 96.9 
			 Q3 459 443 96.5 
			 Notes: 1. From 1 January 2009 onwards the definitions and methodology used to calculate these statistics are no longer directly comparable to those used previously. This change means the NHS no longer adjusts the statistics to account for patient choice, where individuals elect to delay their care. 2. All statistics are provider based, and may include patients whose care was commissioned by the Welsh NHS. Statistics in this format were published for the first time from Q4 2008-09. Source: Department of Health, Cancer Waiting Times Database

Cancer: Drugs

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in each strategic health authority area who have received treatment through the Cancer Drugs Fund to date.

Norman Lamb: Information on the number of patients who have had cancer drugs funded by strategic health authority (SHA) under the interim cancer drugs funding arrangements in 2010-11 (from October 2010 to the end of March 2011) and under the Cancer Drugs Fund (from April 2011 to the end of January 2013) is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Strategic health authority Number of patients funded in 2010-11 Number of patients funded in 2011-12 Number of patients funded from April 2012 to end January 2013 Total number of patients funded since October 2010(1) 
			 North East 420 696 419 1,535 
			 North West 266 1,044 1,527 2,837 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 178 809 1,169 2,156 
			 East Midlands 178 871 797 1,846 
			 West Midlands 292 1,658 1,278 3,228 
			 East of England 246 1,486 1,413 3,145 
			 London 443 1,364 1,529 3,336 
		
	
	
		
			 South East Coast 306 1,241 1,172 2,719 
			 South Central 290 1,170 2,109 3,569 
			 South West 161 1,459 1,976 3,596 
			 Total 2,780 11,798 13,389 27,967 
			 Note: (1)Some individual patients may be double-counted where a patient has received more than one drug treatment through the Cancer Drugs Fund. Source: Information provided to the Department by SHAs

Cardiovascular System: Diseases

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the reduction of 2013-14 Healthcare Resource Group tariffs for percutaneous coronary interventions against the NHS Outcomes Framework indicator to reduce the incidence of under-75 mortality from cardiovascular disease;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the potential effect of the reduction of 2013-14 Healthcare Resource Group tariffs for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) on (a) PCI and (b) primary PCI service provision.

Daniel Poulter: The 2013-14 tariffs for percutaneous coronary interventions are in line with the costs reported by the national health service and so there should be no impact on the access for patients to these treatments and therefore on mortality rates. Prior to publication of the tariffs, the financial impact of the 2013-14 prices was assessed and the prices shared with a wide range of stakeholder groups including hospital trusts, commissioners and with industry. In addition, there is a flexibility available to enable commissioners to provide additional support to 24 hour primary percutaneous coronary intervention services (primary angioplasty).

Cardiovascular System: Diseases

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process the NHS Commissioning Board will use to select (a) the 12 centres allowed to perform renal denervation procedures under Clinical Commissioning Policy A9b2 and (b) the high volume arterial centres allowed to perform highly specialised interventions under Service Specification A4.

Anna Soubry: This is a matter for the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) as an independent body. We understand from the NHS CB that it will determine potential providers through a process of assessing providers against the requirements of the service specifications.
	The service specifications are currently being developed.

Cardiovascular System: Diseases

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on commissioning policy A10b on left atrial appendage occlusion produced by the NHS Commissioning Board.

Anna Soubry: The Department has received four representations expressing concerns about the draft commissioning policy A10b on left atrial appendage occlusion. The NHS Commissioning Board has confirmed that it has taken these concerns into consideration as part of the consultation process undertaken on the draft policies and service specifications.

Diabetes

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people with type 1 diabetes have been diagnosed as having related eating disorders in each primary care trust area in each year since 2008;
	(2)  how many people with type 1 diabetes and related eating disorders have been the subject of hospital admissions (a) by hospital and (b) per person for each year since 2008.

Anna Soubry: The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) does not hold information relating to the number of people with type 1 diabetes who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. The reason for this is that Hospital Episode Statistics do not capture this information as it relates to primary care.
	The HSCIC is unable to provide the data to the requested level of detail due to the rules concerning the suppression of small numbers (many hospitals would have fewer than five admissions each year for this combination of conditions). HSCIC has therefore provided figures at a national level.
	The data provided are for hospital admission episodes with a diagnosis (primary or secondary) of diabetes and with a diagnosis (primary or secondary) of an eating disorder and is provided for the period 2005-06 to 2011-12.
	It should be noted that these data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
	
		
			 Count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) with a primary or secondary diagnosis of diabetes, and a primary or secondary diagnosis of an eating disorder, 2005-06 to 2011-12: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  FAEs 
			 2005-06 155 
			 2006-07 180 
			 2007-08 195 
			 2008-09 226 
			 2009-10 285 
			 2010-11 299 
			 2011-12 354

Epilepsy

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if his Department will make it a priority to incorporate the epilepsy quality standards into the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set;
	(2)  how and when the new Quality Standards for Epilepsy will be incorporated into the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set.

Norman Lamb: It is for the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) to make decisions on the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set.
	We understand that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published two epilepsy quality standards on 28 February this year and plans to consider potential epilepsy indicators for the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set in April.
	Following further consideration by NICE and its independent advisory committee on whether there is a need for further work to develop these indicators, it will make recommendations to the NHS CB who will make final decisions about inclusion in the Clinical Commissioning Group Indicator Set for future years.

Health Services: Young People

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what system is in place to monitor the (a) results and (b) effectiveness of (i) units set up to care for young people diagnosed with eating disorders and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and (ii) other psychiatric and psychological services sponsored by his Department.

Daniel Poulter: Since 2010, the Department has published three outcomes frameworks, for public health, adult social care and the NHS, and these are intended to provide a focus for action and improvement across the system.
	The independent Children and Young People's Health Outcomes Forum, which reported in July 2012, looked at the Outcomes Frameworks from a children and young people's perspective and made recommendations, including on children and young people's mental health. Improving Children and Young People's Health Outcomes: a system wide response, published in February 2013, stated that
	“DH is investigating the feasibility and appropriateness (according to agreed criteria) of implementing all of the Forum's wide-ranging recommendations on the development of measures for the NHS, Public Health, Adult Social Care and Commissioning Outcomes Frameworks”.
	In addition, we have been working to develop the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) Minimum Data Set as a key driver to achieving better outcomes of care for children by providing comparative, linked data; that can be used to plan and commission services. The Data Set is currently in its implementation phase and the data have been specified for collection from all NHS organisations from April 2013.
	The Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (CYP IAPT) project which we introduced in 2011 is about transforming mental health services for children and young people with mental health conditions. The project focuses on extending training to staff and service managers in CAMHS and embedding evidence based practice across services, making sure that the whole service, not just the trainee therapists, use session-by-session outcome monitoring which supports collaborative practice with clients and focuses on improving their outcomes. In the longer term the intention is to include CYP IAPT data in the CAMHS Minimum Data Set.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for an operation in (a) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, (b) Nottingham University Hospitals Trust and (c) England in each of the last four (i) quarters and (ii) years.

Anna Soubry: The information available is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 Average (median) time waited (in weeks) for patients whose treatment required an admission to hospital during the month (admitted adjusted referral to treatment pathways) 
			  2009 
			  February March April May June July August September October November December 
			 (a) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 11.0 9.4 9.5 11.0 10.7 11.1 9.7 12.2 10.9 10.0 10.2 
			 (b) Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 6.4 6.6 6.0 7.7 7.7 7.1 7.4 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.2 
			 (c) England 8.7 7.7 7.7 8.1 8.0 7.8 7.9 8.3 8.1 7.9 7.7 
		
	
	
		
			  2010 
			  January February March April May June July August September October November December 
			 (a) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 11.1 11.4 10.0 9.9 10.1 9.2 10.7 8.9 9.6 10.3 9.1 9.2 
		
	
	
		
			 (b) Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 8.3 8.6 8.5 8.9 8.6 8.3 8.4 9.1 8.7 8.7 8.5 8.6 
			 (c) England 8.7 9.1 8.0 8.0 8.4 8.3 8.3 8.3 8.7 8.7 8.3 7.9 
		
	
	
		
			  2011 
			  January February March April May June July August September October November December 
			 (a) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 11.1 10.4 10.8 9.4 10.4 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.8 10.2 10.8 9.5 
			 (b) Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 9.4 9.8 8.0 7.6 8.2 8.7 8.0 8.2 8.1 8.6 8.3 7.5 
			 (c) England 9.1 9.0 7.9 7.7 8.4 8.7 8.2 8.1 8.8 8.4 8.1 7.8 
		
	
	
		
			  2012 
			  January February March April May June July August September October November December 
			 (a) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 10.7 10.6 10.1 9.5 9.9 9.8 10.5 10.7 12.7 12.2 11.0 9.9 
			 (b) Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 8.7 8.5 8.7 8.7 9.5 10.6 9.5 8.8 9.9 9.3 9.1 . 9.2 
			 (c) England 8.8 8.7 8.1 8.1 8.4 8.4 8.5 8.3 8.8 8.6 8.3 8.0 
		
	
	
		
			  January 2013 
			 (a) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 10.7 
			 (b) Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 10.7 
			 (c) England 9.2 
			 Note: Data are not collected quarterly, data are collected monthly. Admitted pathways are those completed (patients who started treatment) during the month. Source: Department for Health Referral to Treatment Waiting times return

Human Papillomavirus

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of a possible link between the rise in cases of Chlamydia but not in other sexually transmitted infections in the 15 to 19 male and female age group and the introduction of the HPV vaccine.

Anna Soubry: The Health Protection Agency is unaware of any link between the human papillomavirus vaccination and Chlamydia diagnosis rates.

Human Papillomavirus

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received on the data submitted by the manufacturer to the US Food and Drug Administration on the increased risk of pre-cancerous lesions after vaccination with Gardasil; and what steps are in place to monitor cervical cancer rates in the human papillomavirus vaccinated population.

Anna Soubry: The data were fully considered by European regulators prior to licensing and there were no concerns that administration of Gardasil may increase the risk of pre-cancerous lesions.
	Cancer rates are monitored through cancer registries. Given the difference in the age at which most cervical cancers occur and the age of routine human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation, a reduction in cervical cancer incidence is not expected to be seen for at least a decade or more and is likely to be seen first in the results from the cervical screening programme before cancer registries. For this reason the Health Protection Agency has been commissioned to monitor the early impact of HPV immunisation on type- specific (vaccine and non-vaccine) HPV infection rates and initial results from this programme are anticipated to be published within the next year.

Infant Mortality: Bradford

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to reduce the rate of infant mortality in Bradford;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the rate of infant mortality in Bradford;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the possible link between child mortality and poverty levels in Bradford.

Daniel Poulter: The infant mortality rate for Bradford, deaths under one year, is higher than in England, with 7.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2009-11, compared with a rate of 4.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in England for the same period. The higher rate in Bradford to some extent reflects the higher level of deprivation, Bradford is ranked 26 out of 326 local authorities on the English Indices of Deprivation, rank 1 being the most deprived.
	We have given a high priority to early year's issues, including reducing the inequalities in infant mortality. The evidence-based Healthy Child Programme is the key programme for pregnant women, mothers and children. It seeks to prevent problems during pregnancy, at birth and in the early years, and help reduce health inequalities. We are increasing by 50% the number of health visitors and doubling the number of places on the Family Nurse Partnership programme to 13,000 by 2015. This programme offers support to at-risk, first-time young parents from early pregnancy until the child is two years old.
	Infant mortality is an indicator in both the NHS and Public Health outcomes framework. The transfer of public health responsibilities to local government will improve the responsiveness of public health to local challenges and needs. Public Health England will provide national leadership and nationwide expertise on public health issues, including work on tackling health inequalities in the early years. Infant mortality and child mortality link to poverty, as noted by Professor Sir Michael Marmot in his strategic review of health inequalities, “Fair Society, Healthy Lives” (2010). Child mortality covers deaths from ages one to 17 years. In Bradford, the child mortality rate was 23.6 deaths per 100,000 of people in the same age group for 2009-11. This compares with a rate of 13.7 per 100,000 for England for the same period.
	We recognise the importance of tackling poor health outcomes among children and young people. We established a Children and Young Peoples Health Outcomes Forum to consider these issues, and recently launched a pledge to improve health of children and young people, improve services from pregnancy to adolescence and beyond and reduce avoidable deaths, as part of our response to the recommendations of the Forum. The Royal Colleges, health organisations and other relevant bodies have signed up to this pledge.

Mental Health Services: Young People

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much each local authority in England has spent on (a) Tier 1, (b) Tier 2, (c) Tier 3 and (d) Tier 4 within children and adolescent mental health services in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how much each local authority in England has spent on children and adolescent mental health services in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Norman Lamb: Provision for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is included in both the overall financial allocations made to the national health service and in financial allocations made to local authorities through the Local Government Revenue Support Grant.
	All current social care grants, including the old CAMHS grant, were rolled into the Local Government Revenue Support Grant (LGRSG) for the Spending review period 2011-15. The LGRSG is the main route by which local authorities receive the majority of their funding for local public service delivery, and is issued via the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	CAMHS funding is included in funding provided for on-going personal social services. The funding for all Department of Health revenue grants has been maintained and will rise in line with inflation over the spending review period (£767.02 million in 2011-12, £784.43 million in 2012-13, £804.98 million in 2013-13 and £826.31 million in 2014-15 for ongoing personal social services). Individual elements of funding are not ring fenced. It is for commissioners to decide how to use the resources available to them to best meet the needs of their local populations.
	The Department for Education has also made funding available through the Early Intervention Grant to local authorities and schools for a wide range of services for children, young people and families including targeted mental health support in schools. This grant is due to finish at the end of the financial year. From April 2013, this funding is being moved and the majority will be paid as part of the Dedicated Schools Grant as part of changes to give schools greater flexibility to respond to the individual needs of their pupils.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations, letters, emails and other items of correspondence his Department received expressing doubts, concerns or opposition towards Mid Staffordshire Trust's bid for foundation trust status up to 30 June 2007.

Anna Soubry: Records are only available from August 2005. A search of the Department's ministerial correspondence database has identified one item of correspondence logged before 1 January 2008 in relation to Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust's application to become a foundation trust.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individual complaints his Department received from members of the public on care and treatment by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and its predecessor in each month between 1 April 2005 and 30 June 2007.

Daniel Poulter: Records are only available from August 2005. A search of the Department's ministerial correspondence database has identified 31 individual complaints about Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation received between 1 August 2005 and 30 June 2007. The following table shows the number of complaints split by month received. These figures represent correspondence received by the Department's Ministerial correspondence unit only.
	
		
			  January February March April May June July August September October November December 
			 2005 — — — — — — — 1 1 1 2 0 
			 2006 1 3 3 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 3 0 
			 2007 2 1 3 2 0 3  — — — — —

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish all reports written by McKinsey for Monitor on the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust between 1 January 2009 and 19 March 2013.

Daniel Poulter: We are informed by Monitor that no reports were produced by McKinsey for Monitor on the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust between 1 January 2009 and 19 March 2013, with the exception of those written by the Contingency Planning Team which have already been published.

NHS Commissioning Board

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2013, Official Report, column 489W, on the NHS Commissioning Board, how he intends to hold the NHS Commissioning Board to account for fulfilling its statutory duties to (a) promote innovation, (b) give regard to guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and (c) uphold patient rights to technologies positively appraised by NICE; and if he will make it his policy to issue an annual report on his assessment of the Board's progress.

Daniel Poulter: The Health and Social Care Act 2012 makes it clear that:
	The NHS Commissioning Board must publish a business plan each year, setting out how it intends to carry out its functions, as well as to deliver the objectives and requirements set out in the mandate to the Board;
	The Board must publish a report at the end of each year saying how it has performed;
	The Secretary of State must then publish an assessment of the Board's performance; and
	The Board must have regard to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Quality Standards.
	With regard to the first point, the mandate includes an objective on freeing the national health service to innovate, in order to get the best outcomes for patients.
	Regulations also provide that the relevant health body, whether the Board or clinical commissioning groups, must fund drugs and treatments that have been positively appraised by NICE. This right is enshrined in the NHS constitution.
	Besides these legal requirements, there will be an ongoing sponsorship relationship between the Department and the Board, which will be outlined in a framework agreement. In particular, the Secretary of State will hold regular formal accountability meetings with the Chair of the Board and the minutes of these meetings will be published. The purpose of these meetings is to hold the Board to account. This includes ensuring the Board meets its duties to promote innovation, give regard to guidance issued by NICE, and uphold patient rights to technology positively appraised by NICE.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer by Sir David Nicholson to Question 187 given in evidence to the Committee of Public Accounts on 18 March 2013, when his Department expects to (a) have identified former staff of the NHS who have been subject to a gagging clause and (b) written to such people to explain that the gagging clause will not be enforced.

Daniel Poulter: The coalition Government have been consistently clear that nothing within a contract of employment or compromise agreement should prevent an individual from speaking out about issues such as patient care and safety, or anything else that could be in the wider public interest in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA).
	Former national health service employees who feel they may be subject to a confidentiality “gagging” clause are protected under the PIDA regulations. Appropriately drafted confidentiality clauses can be a legitimate mechanism for protecting the interests of both employer and employee as long as nothing in the agreement seeks to prevent, or has the effect of preventing, individuals from speaking out in the public interest in accordance with PIDA.
	However, any clause that is in contravention of the PIDA regulations is void and cannot prevent someone from speaking out about issues such as patient care and safety, or anything else that could be in the wider public interest in accordance with PIDA.
	Former employees are encouraged to initially seek professional support and advice on their particular case from the Whistleblowing helpline. In parallel, the Department is considering how it may further communicate with employers on the issue of former employees who may have been party to a compromise agreement that may have included a confidentiality clause.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  who will adjudicate in cases where there is a dispute as to whether or not it is appropriate to remove a confidentiality clause from an NHS employee's severance agreement;
	(2)  what steps he will take to provide retrospective protection for former NHS employees who break confidentiality clauses in their severance payments;
	(3)  whether his proposed banning of confidentiality clauses from severance agreements in the NHS will apply to private sector providers of NHS services;
	(4)  if his proposed banning of confidentiality clauses from severance agreements in the NHS will apply in cases in which whistleblowing was not the central reason for the severance agreement;
	(5)  whether the banning of confidentiality clauses from severance agreements in the NHS will apply in cases in which the £20,000 threshold for referral to his Department is not met.

Daniel Poulter: The coalition Government have been consistently clear that nothing within a contract of employment or compromise agreement should prevent an individual from speaking out about issues such as patient care and safety, or anything else that could be in the wider public interest in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
	The Department has not banned confidentiality clauses per se. Compromise agreements, which include appropriately drafted confidentiality clauses, can be a legitimate mechanism for protecting the interests of both employer and employee as long as nothing in the agreement seeks to prevent, or has the effect of preventing, individuals from speaking out in the public interest.
	Although the use and specific content of a compromise agreement is a matter for the relevant employer and is confidential to the parties concerned, some NHS employers have used such agreements that have not been as clear on the issue of speaking out in the public interest as they should be. This has resulted in some staff who have felt ‘gagged' and therefore worried that they would not be allowed to speak out about their concerns after they have signed the agreement and left their employment.
	HM Treasury do not sign off ‘compromise agreements' neither does the Department of Health. The Department and Treasury do not see the content of compromise agreements or the confidentiality clauses they may contain. The Department and the Treasury review the business cases that are put forward by employers in support of making a special severance payment. The Department will not support settlements, regardless of the amount concerned, where making such a payment is not in the public interest. This includes any case which may involve a potential whistleblowing issue.
	In future, the Government will require that where confidentiality clauses are used in compromise agreements that they include an explicit clause that makes it clear beyond doubt to the individual concerned that nothing in the agreement will prevent them from speaking out on issues in the public interest as covered by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA).
	Former NHS employees who feel they may be subject to a confidentiality ‘gagging’ clause are protected under PIDA. Any clause that is in contravention of the PIDA regulations is void. Former employees are encouraged to initially seek professional support and advice on their particular case from the whistleblowing helpline. In parallel, the Department is considering how it may further communicate with employers on the issue of former employees.

NHS: Interpreters

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions interpreters have been required for the purposes of treating (a) NHS patients, (b) emergency admissions, (c) maternity cases, (d) in-patient admissions and (e) out-patients in (i) Brigg and Goole constituency and (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: This information is not collected centrally. The provision of interpretation and translation services by national health service bodies is a matter for local determination.

NHS: Managers

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what measures are in place to remove from post NHS managers (a) that fail to meet performance targets, (b) have overseen healthcare services which put patients' lives at risk and (c) have overseen financial mismanagement of a NHS organisation.
	(2)  what measures are in place to prevent NHS managers (a) that fail to meet performance targets, (b) have overseen healthcare services which put patients' lives at risk and (c) have overseen financial mismanagement of a NHS organisation from gaining further employment in the NHS; and if he will consider introducing a barring scheme to prohibit such individuals from working in NHS management;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to introduce new measures to (a) remove failing NHS managers, (b) monitor the performance of NHS managers, (c) monitor the financial management of NHS managers and (d) issue sanctions against failing NHS managers.

Daniel Poulter: All those working for the national health service have personal responsibility for the quality of care they provide, with good leadership critical to ensuring that patients receive excellent care. The vast majority of NHS leaders and managers work tirelessly to get the best possible care for the people they serve.
	However, the NHS does have systems in place to deal with the small number of managers who fail to meet the appropriate safety, quality, performance or financial standards.
	Employers are required to incorporate the Code of Conduct for NHS Managers in the employment contracts of chief executives and other directors. NHS managers are personally responsible for meeting the requirements of their employment contracts. Local governance systems are in place to hold NHS managers to account for the terms of their job role. If there are failures to meet the standards set, it is for the employer to decide what actions to take, including the possibility of additional training and support, or termination of contract.
	In support of this, Monitor, the NHS Trust Development Authority and Care Quality Commission work together to provide independent regulatory oversight of the safety, quality, performance and financial management of NHS providers in England.
	Monitor has and will continue to have intervention powers in relation to NHS foundation trusts and can remove directors from the board in cases of significant financial or service underperformance.
	The Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry provides graphic illustrations of lessons that can be learned from failure of individuals, the employing trust and system regulators to put patients first. It recommends a number of actions relating to NHS managers, including a mechanism for barring failing managers. These are being considered as part of the Government's response, which will be published shortly.

NHS: Payments

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many judicial mediation payments were made in each of the last five years by (a) foundation hospital trusts, (b) non-foundation hospital trusts and (c) all other NHS bodies and organisations.

Daniel Poulter: Prior to 11 March 2013. any special severance payments agreed under the judicial mediation process did not require HM Treasury approval, in accordance with existing Treasury rules at that time. Advice received from the Treasury on 11 March 2013 makes clear that Treasury approval is now required in advance of a case going to mediation. Where Treasury approval is given, it sets the upper limit of any subsequently negotiated settlement through mediation.
	In addition, prior to 11 March 2013 the Department did not hold information on whether any agreements were made at a judicial mediation or if any payments were subsequently actually made.

Opiates

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Government's response to recommendation 19 of the Ninth Report of the Home Affairs Committee, Drugs: Breaking the Cycle, HC 184, what assessment he has made of the level of awareness amongst patients and users of the treatment options for opioid substitution therapy.

Anna Soubry: As highlighted in the Government's response to the Ninth Report of the Home Affairs Committee, session 2012-13, HC 184, we agree with the Home Affairs Committee that it is for the individual prescriber in discussion with their client to decide which treatment is clinically most appropriate. The response references key documents which provide advice to guide those discussions, including about the provision of information to patients.

Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much was paid to officials in (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary in each of the last five years; how many officials received such payments; and what the monetary value was of the 20 largest payments made in each year;
	(2)  what allowances and subsidies in addition to salary were available to officials in (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years; and what the monetary value was of such payments and allowances in each such year.

Daniel Poulter: For the Department, information requested about non-consolidated performance related payments (NCPRPs) (formerly known as bonuses), special bonuses and distinction awards for medical doctors, paid to civil servants on the Department's payroll is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Total annual cost (£) Total number of awards(1) 
			 2008-09 2,923,816 1,530 
			 2009-10 2,665,217 1,372 
			 2010-11 2,013,966 1,174 
			 2011-12 1,481,133 1,485 
			 2012-13 to February 1,206,364 921 
			 (1) A civil servant may be entitled to receive more than one type of bonus within a given year. Source: Department of Payroll Systems 
		
	
	
		
			 Highest 20 awards in the Department for each year 
			  £ 
			 2008-09 (1)55,098 
			  (1)55,098 
			  (2)49,004 
			  (1)31,486 
			  (1)31,486 
			  26,775 
			  26,163 
			  23,889 
			  21,464 
			  19,500 
			  19,087 
			  19,012 
			  18,639 
			  18,162 
			  18,000 
			  17,431 
			  17,408 
			  17,094 
			  16,628 
			  15,030 
			   
			   
			 2009-10 (1)75,796 
			  (1)41,943 
			  (1)30,494 
			  (2)27,500 
			  (1)15,980 
			  15,000 
			  15,000 
			  15,000 
			  15,000 
			  13,271 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			  12,500 
			   
			 2010-11 (1)75,796 
			  (2)27,500 
		
	
	
		
			  (1)12,784 
			  10,000 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			   
			 2011-12 (1)75,796 
			  (2)36,000 
			  17,500 
			  17,000 
			  (1)12,784 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			   
			 2012-13 to February 17,500 
			  17,000 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
		
	
	
		
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			  8,500 
			 (1 )Distinction awards for medical doctors (2) Contractual obligation—bonus agreed with one individual, disclosed in previous parliamentary questions and other published information. Source: DH Payroll Systems 
		
	
	Since 2008, the Department has reduced the cost of overall expenditure on its annual allowances and subsidies. Some of these payments relate to allowances paid on a ‘reserved rights' basis. Current available allowances include such payments as:
	Private Office allowance (in lieu of overtime);
	Excess fares—for civil servants who are relocated at the Department's instigation; and
	Detached duty payments—covering costs of living away from home while temporarily posted to a new location.
	Information about the annual costs of allowances and subsidies for the Department's civil servants has been taken from the Department's Payroll System and is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Total cost of allowances and subsidies (£) 
			 2008-09 1,121,050 
			 2009-10 1,184,028 
			 2010-11 1,100,289 
			 2011-12 832,985 
			 2012-13(1) 779,084 
			 (1) Data for 2012-13 accounts for payments up to the end February 2013. All other years are the full financial years. 
		
	
	The information on the total cost of bonuses and other payments to officials in the Department's non-departmental public bodies, for the years 2011-12 and 2012 to end of February 2013 is set out in the following table. Information for the previous three years andinformation about how many officials received such payments and the monetary value of the 20 largest payments made in each year cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 £ 
			   How much was paid to officials in non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary 
			 Name organisation Type of payment 2012-13 to end of February 2013 2011-12 
			 Care Quality Commission Overtime 758,408 887,781 
			  Bonuses 0 301,406 
			     
		
	
	
		
			 NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB)  (1)— Not in existence 
			     
			 Health Protection Agency Clinical Excellence Awards 2,856,624 3,336,169 
			  Overtime 972,725 985,986 
			     
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Bonus payments 2,000 5,500 
			  Overtime 22,709 14,227 
			  Records Management Project 0 35,112 
			     
			 Human Tissue Authority  0 0 
			 Monitor  7,350 14,500 
			 (1 )NHS CB: The Commissioning Board became an Executive non-departmental public body on 1 October 2012 and will not be effectively operational until 1 April 2013. The NHS CB is undertaking a significant programme of staff transition and recruitment, and during this financial year most staff have been working on a secondment and interim basis. Therefore it is not possible to give meaningful figures for 2012-13. 
		
	
	The information on allowances and subsidies available to officials in the Department's non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  What allowances and subsidies in addition to salary were available to officials in each of the last five years What was the monetary value of such payments and allowances in each such year (£) 
			 Name of organisation 2012-13 to February 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2012-13 to February 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 
			 Care Quality Commission Home workers allowance, Essential Car User allowance, Zonal Allowance (now consolidated into pay), Pension Compensation allowance, Transport allowance 1,107,680 1,977,498 2,112,989 Not in existence Not in existence 
			            
			 NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) (1)— Not in existence (1)— Not in existence 
			            
			 Health Protection Agency Geographic Allowance, on call allowance 7,379,314 7,535,586 8,127,506 7,449,396 Not available in MINT Payroll reports 
			            
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)(2) Only one allowance has been available in each of the last five years—an out of hours on call media handling allowance 3,750 3,750 3,750 3,750 3,750 
			            
			 Human Tissue Authority Gym Subsidy Gym Subsidy, London Weighting Gym Subsidy, Staff Allowance 1,018 2,386 3,913 5,017 7,609 
			            
			 Monitor 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) NHS CB: The Commissioning Board became an Executive non-departmental public body on 1 October 2012 and will not be effectively operational until 1 April 2013. The NHS CB is undertaking a significant programme of staff transition and recruitment, and during this financial year most staff have been working on a secondment or interim basis. Therefore, it is not possible to give accurate figures for 2012-13. (2) HFEA: The monetary value for this allowance, which applies in each such year, is as follows £312.50 per month/£3,750 per annum (one person).

Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Budget 2013 Red Book, Table 2.5, which capital projects are no longer proceeding as a consequence of the underspend by his Department in 2012-13.

Daniel Poulter: Table 2.5 of the Budget 2013 Red Book shows the difference between Budget 2012 plans and latest forecast of expenditure for 2012-13. For the Department of Health, the table shows an estimated Capital Departmental Expenditure Limits underspend of £0.8 billion against the Budget 2012 plans.
	This underspend has arisen mainly because of savings in central capital schemes (including Connecting for Health) and slippage on capital spending plans in the national health service. No capital projects have been stopped or delayed specifically to achieve this underspend.
	The Department will set out its spending for the year in detail in its annual accounts in the usual way.

Social Services

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether his Department has made an estimate of costs associated with local authorities having introduced restrictions on the eligibility criteria for social care;
	(2)  what support his Department has offered to help local authorities maintain current thresholds for Fair Access to Care criteria;
	(3)  with reference to his Department's White Paper, Caring for Our Future, what steps he is taking to introduce a new assessment and eligibility framework for social care.

Norman Lamb: Under the current legal framework, local authorities are free to set their eligibility threshold for adult social care services. Local authorities base their own threshold in response to local needs and circumstances. We have not made any estimate of the costs associated with local authorities having introduced restrictions on the eligibility criteria for social care.
	The Government have committed to introducing a national minimum eligibility threshold for adult social care. Provisions to this effect were included in the draft Care and Support Bill, and subject to the passage of legislation, this will be introduced from April 2015. The Government will determine the level of the threshold as part of the Spending Review, which we will announce later in the year. Local authorities will be free to set their eligibility threshold at a more generous level but will not be able to tighten them beyond the national minimum threshold.
	The Government also gave a commitment in the White Paper “Caring for our future”, that we will develop and test options for a potential new assessment and eligibility framework. A Steering Group involving all relevant stakeholders will be established in the summer. The Steering Group will develop new models and these will be evaluated over a number of years. The Steering Group will then put proposals to Government and we will consider the feasibility of implementing these.
	We know that the last Spending Review provided local government with a challenging settlement. This is why we took the decision to prioritise adult social care, and provide extra funding for local authorities to help in maintaining access to services. Since then, we have provided local authorities with additional resources for social care. However, it is ultimately for local authorities to choose how best to use their available funding.
	But we cannot improve care and support by putting ever more money into the system. We have already seen examples of local authorities redesigning services to find more efficient ways of working. Many local authorities are innovating and achieving much greater integration between health and care services, thereby improving care for people and optimising use of resources available.

EDUCATION

Academies: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the duties of the Education Funding Agency are in relation to monitoring academies' funding agreements.

David Laws: The duties of the Education Funding Agency (EFA) in relation to academies' funding agreements are to provide assurance over the proper use of public funds provided by the EFA through financial assurance undertaken by the EFA itself, or by others. The EFA is also responsible for compliance with the funding agreement by academies and it investigates alleged breaches of the funding agreement, except where they relate to educational matters or where another statutory body is responsible.

Academies: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the duties of Ofsted are in relation to monitoring academies' funding agreements.

David Laws: Ofsted does not have a role in monitoring academies' funding agreements; this role is carried out by the Education Funding Agency. Ofsted's remit is to inspect and regulate services which care for children and young people and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages, including academies.

Academies: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which academies, from which academy groups or chains, have had their funding agreements revoked since May 2010; and what the (a) date of and (b) reasons for each such revocation were.

David Laws: No academies have had their funding agreements revoked since May 2010.

Departmental Responsibilities

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which activities in the Children and Young People's Family Division of his Department have been scaled back, ended or deprioritised since September 2012; and how many such activities are planned to be scaled back, ended or deprioritised.

Edward Timpson: holding answer 12 February 2013
	The Children, Young People and Families Directorate was replaced by the Children's Services and Departmental Strategy Directorate on the 3 December 2012 as part of internal restructuring at the Department for Education.
	Resource is now regularly reprioritised according to where the Department is at on the cycle of work and to ensure the Department is run as efficiently as possible. Going forward, the Department's business planning process will determine which activities are scaled back, ended or deprioritised. This is due to complete in the next few months and will be followed by ongoing reprioritisation so that staff resource is always focused where it is most needed.

Departmental Responsibilities

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what advice was given by special advisers at or before the Department for Education Board meeting of 4 October 2012 on scaling back, ending or deprioritisation of activities within the Children and Young People's Family Division of his Department.

Edward Timpson: holding answer 13 February 2013
	The Secretary of State receives frequent advice from special advisers on the full range of departmental policies, and on prioritisation.
	Policies affecting children, young people and families remain a priority for me as the responsible Minister, this Department, and the whole Government. On 29 January 2013, we announced our ambitious child care reforms which set out our vision for a dynamic child care market and delivering high quality early education. On 5 February 2013, we also published the Children and Families Bill, which includes reforms to adoption, the role of the Children's Commissioner, family justice, and special educational needs.

Departmental Responsibilities

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the advice presented to the Department for Education Board on 4 October 2012 regarding scaling back, ending or deprioritising of work within the Children and Young People's Family Division of his Department.

Edward Timpson: holding answer 12 February 2013
	The Department for Education does not routinely publish board papers.

Departmental Responsibilities

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what decisions were taken at the Department for Education Board meeting on 4 October 2012 regarding scaling back, ending or deprioritising work by his Department on (a) internet safety, (b) relationship and parenting support programmes, (c) children's centres and (d) youth activities.

Edward Timpson: holding answer 12 February 2013
	At the Board meeting held on 4 October 2012, both the Department's internal Review and priorities for Ministers were discussed. The former considers how best we can continue to deliver the Government's priorities while meeting the challenges of budget pressures. The latter is a key element of the Department's business planning process, and at the end of this process the Department will determine the allocation of resources to deliver its priorities.
	No final decisions were taken on prioritisation of work at October's Board.

Education and Skills Act 2008

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  when he plans to bring sections 2 and 4 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 into force;
	(2)  when the Government plans to bring Part 1 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 into force;
	(3)  when he plans to lay the regulations designated under section 4(2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008 before Parliament; and when he intends such regulations to come into force.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 19 March 2013
	Part 1 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 (ESA) places a duty on young people to participate in education or training until they are 18 or have completed a prescribed Level 3 qualification. Section 2 sets out the duty to participate and section 4 sets out the definition of full-time education or training.
	We intend to commence the majority of Part 1 of ESA from 28 June 2013 to apply to all young people in England until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17; and from 26 June 2015 to their 18(th) birthday.
	However, we have confirmed that we will not commence two elements of Part 1 of ESA. These are the duties on employers (in chapter 3 of Part 1) and the ‘enforcement provisions' for young people who do not participate (in chapters 4 and 5 of Part 1). These will remain on statute and we will keep the need to commence them under review.
	The legislation makes provision for some elements to be specified in secondary legislation, including section 4(2) on the definition of full-time education. We carried out a full public consultation on the policy that will underpin the regulations and our response is available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/rpa/a00210946/consultation-response
	Copies of this report will be placed in the House Libraries.
	The regulations designated under section 4(2) will be laid before Parliament in early summer 2013 and will come into force before 28 June 2013.

Free School Meals

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to announce which claimants of universal credit will be entitled to free school meals.

David Laws: holding answer 18 March 2013
	I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 4 March 213, Official Report, column 839W.

Free School Meals

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of expanding the entitlement to free school meals to all children in families that will receive universal credit.

David Laws: holding answer 18 March 2013
	Our assessment is that extending entitlement to free school meals to all families in receipt of universal credit would mean that over half of children would become entitled, at a cost of up to an extra £1 billion per year.

Free Schools

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what systems are in place to monitor the selection criteria of free schools in order that no bias is shown towards sections of any community.

David Laws: holding answer 7 March 2013
	All Free Schools are required, through their Funding Agreement, to comply with the School Admissions Code (the Code). The Code requires admissions arrangements to be reasonable, clear, objective, procedurally fair and comply with all relevant legislation.
	Before entering into a Funding Agreement with a Free School, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the free School has consulted on their proposals under Section 10 of the Academies Act 2010 (as amended by the Education Act 2011). Once the Free School has opened, it is covered by the consultation requirements of the Code. Anyone with concerns about how a state-funded school is admitting pupils under the Code has the right to formally object to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on which occasions Dominic Cummings visited his Department between May 2010 and the date of his appointment as a special adviser in his Department.

Elizabeth Truss: holding answer 14 February 2013
	Dominic Cummings was appointed as special adviser to the Secretary of State for Education on 21 February 2011. The Department for Education is not able to provide a definite figure for the number of occasions Mr Cummings visited the Department between May 2010 and 21 February 2011. However, the Department can confirm that Mr Cummings was invited to 30 meetings between May 2010 and 21 February 2011 which were held by the Secretary of State for Education.

Priority School Building Programme

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools are part of the Priority School Rebuilding programme.

David Laws: holding answer 18 March 2013
	The full list of the Priority School Building Programme is available on our website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schoolscapital/priority-school-building-programme/a00221997/successfulapplicationspsbp
	Copies of this table will be placed in the House Libraries.

School Milk: Lancashire

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how much funding for milk in schools in Lancashire (a) his Department and its predecessor and (b) Lancashire county council provided in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much funding for milk in schools in Lancashire (a) his Department and (b) Lancashire county council plans to provide in 2013-14.

David Heath: In respect of the EU School Milk Scheme and the National Top-Up for English primary schools it is not possible to provide reliable data at the level of individual counties. It is for Lancashire county council to provide if possible any details of the claims and payments they may have received or made.
	It is not possible to say how much funding may be provided as the level of funding under these schemes is driven by consumption at participating schools.

Written Questions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the (a) number of staff hours involved in and (b) approximate cost of providing the eventual answer to question 124327 on youth services, tabled by the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham on 6 December 2012.

Elizabeth Truss: holding answer 12 February 2013
	We estimate that it would take at least 180 hours, at an approximate cost of £2,160 to collate a comprehensive list of Ministers' visits to youth projects between May 2010 and the end of January 2013.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he intends to answer the following questions for named day answer from the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (a) question 143240 tabled on 11 February 2013 for answer on 14 February 2013 and (b) questions (i) 143055, (ii) 143053, (iii) 143054, (iv) 143056 and (v) 143057 tabled on 7 February 2013 for answer on 12 February 2013.

Elizabeth Truss: These questions have been answered today.

JUSTICE

Elections

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department holds on the use of the (a) Public Order Act 1986, (b) Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006, (c) Crime and Disorder Act 1998, (d) Malicious Communications Act 1998 and (e) Telecommunications Act 1984 in relation to elections, electioneering or electoral conduct in each year since the coming into force of each Act.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. This database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not the specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to identify from this centrally held information the use of these acts in relation to elections, electioneering or electoral conduct.

European Convention on Human Rights

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether work is being undertaken and resources devoted by his Department to plans for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights; and whether an impact assessment has been made in respect of the consequences of such a withdrawal.

Damian Green: As set out in the coalition agreement, the Government remain committed to the European convention on human rights and has no plans to denounce or withdraw from it.

Fines: Surcharges

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the victim surcharge. [Official Report, 20 May 2013, Vol. 563, c. 9MC.]

Helen Grant: Since its introduction in 2007, the victim surcharge has raised £41.2 million, which has funded vital services for victims and witnesses of crime. The reforms to increase and extend the surcharge, introduced by this Government, will see more offenders take responsibility for the harm they have caused. They will contribute up to an additional £50 million per year towards the cost of victims' services.

Legal Aid Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library copies of the guidance documents relating to his Department's policy on (a) finance, (b) human resources and (c) procurement referenced in the annex of his Department's Legal Aid Agency Framework Document.

Jeremy Wright: The guidance documents relating to the Department's policies on finance, human resources and procurement are not currently placed in the Libraries of either House. This is because there are a large number of policies that are internal documents shared on the Ministry of Justice intranet for staff reference. It would not be practical to place these in the Libraries because of the volume of policies and guidance; the fact that many of them have only been designed for electronic presentation; and also because they are regularly updated and would therefore become quickly out of date if they were placed in the House Libraries. In line with the Government's digital by default approach, the Ministry of Justice does not publish its internal material, including policies, in hard copy but instead makes them available via its internal digital channels such as the Intranet, This reduces costs associated with printing and ensures that staff always have access to the latest version of any policy.

Legal Aid Scheme

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment his Department has made of the potential additional cost to the court system of any change in the duration of trials and tribunals consequent upon future trends in the number of participants in legal proceedings representing themselves following changes to eligibility criteria for legal aid.

Helen Grant: These matters were assessed as part of the impact assessments which were published alongside the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. There is limited available evidence on the behavioural response of the individuals who will be impacted by the reforms. However, court statistics do not show that cases with self-represented litigants take longer—if anything they suggest the opposite.
	Following the introduction of our reforms, we are providing easier to understand guidance and information for those who represent themselves and further training for judges.

Offenders

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of offenders who breached the conditions of their caution were subsequently charged by the Crown Prosecution Service in each quarter since 2008.

Oliver Heald: I have been asked to reply.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) data show that a total of 3,157 offenders who breached their conditional caution were subsequently charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). A quarterly breakdown of the actions taken by the CPS, in the event of an offender not complying with the terms of the conditional caution, is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Quarter (financial years) Charge and request full file No prosecution Conditions varied Total breached conditional cautions referred to CPS Non compliance rate (percentage) Compliance rate (percentage) 
			 2008-09       
			 Q1 125 30 11 166 8.3 91.7 
			 Q2 193 42 20 255 12.7 87.3 
			 Q3 157 30 21 208 9.8 90.2 
			 Q4 193 39 29 261 11.6 88.4 
			        
			 2009-10       
			 Q1 196 43 21 260 11.9 88.1 
			 Q2 229 53 27 309 15.6 84.4 
			 Q3 249 55 27 331 15.6 84.4 
			 Q4 199 41 30 270 13.9 86.1 
			        
			 2010-11       
			 Q1 157 37 32 226 12.3 87.7 
			 Q2 197 48 39 284 15.4 84.6 
			 Q3 152 34 46 232 13.7 86.3 
			 Q4 178 39 38 255 16.2 83.8 
			        
			 2011-12       
			 Q1 161 31 38 230 16.1 83.9 
			 Q2 163 54 29 246 18.7 81.3 
			 Q3 150 32 31 213 18.6 81.4 
			 Q4 156 38 29 223 20.5 79.5 
			        
			 2012-13       
			 Q1 111 28 20 159 16.5 83.5 
			 Q2 108 40 28 176 17.8 82.2 
			 Q3 83 30 13 126 13.8 86.2

Offenders: Fines

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to collect offender profile information showing the reasons why offenders fail to comply with their payment plans for fines since July 2012; and what plans his Department has to collect such information in the future.

Helen Grant: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to Lord Touhig by my noble Friend, Lord McNally, on 12 March 2013, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA51.
	Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not have access to offender profile information that shows the reasons why offenders fail to comply with payment terms.
	The information HMCTS holds on offenders is provided by the prosecuting authorities, by the offenders themselves, and by using the tracing tools that HMCTS has at its disposal, such as the Experian credit reference agency and the Department for Work and Pensions customer information system. Payment plans are agreed based on the financial information provided by the offenders to enable those who are unable to pay in full at once to complete the payment of their fines over a reasonable period of time. The information obtained from these sources does not provide any indication why certain groups of offenders fail to follow the agreed payment plans.
	HMCTS takes the issue of fine enforcement very seriously and is working to ensure that clamping down on fine defaulters is a continued priority nationwide. HMCTS is always looking at ways to improve the collection of fines. As a part of the future strategy HMCTS will be considering numerous ways in which performance can be improved. This could include offender profiling.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether he plans to make an assessment of the changes being made in April 2013 to the road traffic accident portal before introducing further reforms;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to improve usage by insurers of the road traffic accident portal.

Helen Grant: There are no current plans to make an assessment of the forthcoming changes to the Road Traffic Accident Personal Injury (RTA) scheme. The Government are prepared to review and assess the effectiveness of the scheme should evidence be provided to demonstrate that this is necessary. However, the Government do not wish to commit to a formal review at this stage.
	As part of the forthcoming extension of the RTA scheme, incentives have been provided for both insurers and claimants to keep claims within the scheme through to settlement. These include provisions in the Pre-Action Protocols which will support the extended scheme, and the introduction of a revised and expanded scheme of fixed recoverable costs.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  if he will give consideration to requiring medical reports before payment of compensation can be made in personal injury claims;
	(2)  if he will bring forward proposals to oblige insurers to share data to help reduce the incidents of fraudulent claims;
	(3)  if he will give consideration to the accreditation of medical agencies and reporting doctors in personal injury cases.

Helen Grant: The Government consultation on ‘reducing the number and cost of whiplash claims' closed on 8 March 2013. The requirement for completed medical reports prior to compensation being paid, the importance of shared fraud data and accredited medics were all raised as issues by stakeholders during the consultation period. Ministry of Justice officials are now evaluating all the submissions received and a response outlining the way forward will be issued in due course.

Prisoners' Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what publicly-funded privileges are available to category (a) A, (b) B, (c) C and (d) D prison inmates; and what the cost has been of such privileges in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what publicly-funded privileges are available to prison inmates serving (a) life sentences, (b) imprisonment for public protection and (c) detention for public protection; and what the cost has been of such privileges in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: Rule 8 of the prison rules and young offender institute (YOI) rule 6 requires every prison to establish a system of privileges which prisoners can earn subject to their reaching and maintaining specified standards of conduct and performance. The incentives and privileges (IEP) scheme does not distinguish between categories of convicted prisoners or the type or length of their sentence in terms of the privileges which should be made available.
	The key earnable privileges, which must be included in local IEP schemes, to the extent deemed appropriate for the different privilege levels are:
	Extra and improved visits
	Eligibility to earn higher rates of pay
	Access to in-cell television
	Opportunity to wear own clothes
	Access to private cash
	Time out of cell for association.
	These are not all directly publicly funded. Access to in-cell television, for instance, is self-financing from the rental payments made by prisoners. There are administrative and staff costs associated with facilitating the other privileges.
	Central accounting systems do not capture data at a level to specifically identify costs directly linked to individual IEP privileges. This information could be obtained only by manual checking with individual establishments, which would incur disproportionate cost.
	I am looking closely at the incentives scheme for prisoners to ensure the public have confidence in the prison system. The outcome of this review will be announced in due course.
	Prison Service Instruction 11/2011 is available in the House of Commons Library.

Probation

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effects of his proposed reform of probation services on reoffending rates for people serving fewer than 12 months.

Jeremy Wright: On 22 February the Ministry of Justice's consultation on plans for reforming the way in which offenders are rehabilitated in the community closed.
	Through our proposed reforms we want to address the fact that offenders released from custodial sentences of less than 12 months are among the most highly prolific offender groups. In 2010 57.6% of the short sentenced offenders released from prison reoffended within a year and there is currently no statutory support for those offenders sentenced to less than 12 months in custody.
	Our proposed reforms will help reduce reoffending by opening up rehabilitation services to a more diverse market, using payment by results to encourage providers to focus on outcomes, and by making the whole system more efficient, so that we can extend rehabilitative provision to this most prolific group of offenders.
	We will respond to the consultation and bring forward detailed plans in due course.

Probation

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been carried out to evaluate the effect of the removal of probation trusts.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice's consultation on plans for reforming the way in which offenders are rehabilitated in the community closed on 22 February.
	We want the public sector probation service to be organised in the most efficient manner for delivery of its new responsibilities. The options being considered range from fewer Trusts to a different structure altogether or direct delivery on behalf of the Secretary of State. We have sought consultees' views on this important issue and will bring forward detailed plans in due course.

Probation

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's consultation, Transforming Rehabilitation, whether probation trusts, as public bodies, will be permitted to bid, either on their own, or with partners, for commercial contracts for the delivery of probation services in the community under the competition plans set out;
	(2)  whether probation trusts will be able to set up special purpose vehicles, either on their own, or with partners, to bid for commercial contracts for the delivery of probation services in the community under the competition plans set out;
	(3)  whether probation trusts will be able to set up mutual delivery organisations to bid for commercial contracts for the delivery of probation services in the community under the competition plans set out;
	(4)  whether probation staff who set up their own mutual delivery organisation to bid for commercial contracts for the delivery of probation services in the community would have to resign from their employment with their probation trust to take part in the competition;
	(5)  where a probation trust has developed a relationship with a partner provider, or providers, to bid for commercial contracts for the delivery of probation services in the community, whether those partners will remain eligible to take part in the proposed competitions;
	(6)  what advice the National Offender Management Service has received on the legal implications of excluding probation trusts from any competition to deliver probation services in the community.

Jeremy Wright: We remain committed to facilitating an open competition which allows a range of bidders to take part in the new probation services market.
	As set out in our consultation document ‘Transforming Rehabilitation—a revolution in the way we manage offenders’, it remains open for probation staff to put together proposals for potential mutuals and other alternative delivery vehicles to bid to deliver probation services as part of future competitions.
	Under our proposals we will only contract with entities capable of bearing the financial and operational risks associated with Payment by Results and delivering offender services in the community. Therefore, public sector entities will not be able to bid, as they will not be able to carry the financial risk. Instead staff groups within trusts can work on proposals for alternative delivery vehicles and mutuals. The Cabinet Office's Mutual Support Programme is available to support probation staff to explore their options.
	Trust staff do not have to resign, as these employee-led entities or partnerships will only be formally set up following the conclusion of the competition, if they have won a bid or are part of a winning bid. This is to guarantee continuity of service in probation during the transition to new arrangements, and also to ensure that those public sector probation professionals who do come together to enter the bidding process are not disadvantaged if they are not successful.
	Where a group of staff are designing and setting up a mutual or alternative delivery vehicle with a partner provider, clear ethical walls will need to be put in place between the probation trust on the one hand and the group of staff and commercial organisation on the other, to ensure fair competition. Any partner also looking to compete in its own right would have to satisfy us of similar ethical walls between bids too.
	The Department has taken appropriate legal advice on the proposals in the consultation paper and will of course comply with any obligations imposed on it by procurement law.
	The Ministry of Justice's consultation on plans for reforming the way in which offenders are rehabilitated in the community closed on 22 February. We will respond to the consultation and bring forward detailed plans in due course.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Central America

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects her Department has funded in (a) Costa Rica, (b) Honduras, (c) Nicaragua, (d) El Salvador, (e) Guatemala, (f) Belize and (g) Panama since May 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: DFID does not give aid directly to Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize or Panama. In 2010-11 and 2011-12, DFID did not provide any bilateral development aid to these countries.
	DFID does not give aid directly to Guatemala. However, in 2010-11 DFID provided £100,000 in the form of humanitarian assistance in response to the Guatemalan floods.
	In 2010-11 DFID provided bilateral development aid to two programmes in Nicaragua. The Caribbean Coast Development Programme was delivered through a Trust Fund arrangement with the World Bank Nicaragua office and focused on improving water, sanitation, energy infrastructure and nutrition for children on the Caribbean Coast where poverty in Nicaragua is highest. The second programme, Enhancing Small Enterprise Growth of Nicaragua through the Development of Existing Value Chains, was delivered through a delegated management arrangement with the embassy of Finland in Nicaragua and aimed to enhance micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) growth with a particular focus on the provision of opportunities for women and excluded populations.
	DFID's regional programme assists criminal asset recovery in Belize.

Developing Countries: Armed Conflict

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries are considered to be fragile and conflict-affected by the Government.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID identifies 21 of its 28 focus states as being fragile or conflict-affected. These are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tajikistan, Uganda, Yemen and Zimbabwe. This list was last updated in May 2011 and is updated every two years.

Developing Countries: Religion

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to her Department's report, Faith Partnership Principles, published in 2012, what work her Department is (a) funding and (b) undertaking to develop dialogue with national and local faith-based actors at her Department's country office level to promote common understandings and collaborative platforms for action.

Lynne Featherstone: There are no specific funding commitments attached to DFID's work on the “Faith Partnership Principles Paper”. The Paper aims to strengthen and guide DFID's future relationship and collaboration with faith groups. DFID is already supporting the work of a variety of faith groups through the Programme Partnership Arrangements, the Global Poverty Action Fund and the UK Aid match. DFID and the Faith Working Group agreed to identify priority countries where it would be possible to collaborate and build a common understanding. The first pilot country identified is Tanzania. The Faith Working Group and DFID will meet in mid-April 2013 with DFID Tanzania to discuss how best to progress this work which should be initiated in June 2013. Additional countries where further work can be undertaken will be identified after the summer.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments to multilateral organisations expected to be made by her Department by the end of the 2012-13 financial year have been (a) delayed, (b) suspended or (c) cancelled; and what the total value of arrears is.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID is not in arrears on any core multilateral contributions.
	The first £15 million payment to the Green Africa Power programme was rescheduled from 2012-13 to 2013-14.
	The Department also makes payments to multilateral organisations to deliver project specific bilateral support. The Department is not able to provide a consolidated report on any rescheduling of these payments.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments have been made to multilateral organisations by her Department in (a) November 2012, (b) December 2012, (c) January 2013, (d) February 2013 and (e) March 2013; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID does not gather these details on a monthly basis.
	DFID provides an annual breakdown of all spending through multilateral organisations in our Statistic on International Development (SID) publication. The SID for 2012-13 is due for publication in autumn. A copy of this publication for 2011-12 can be found in the House Library and on DFID's website.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programme partnership agreements that were expected to be concluded and signed by the end of the 2012-13 financial year have been delayed or cancelled; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID has Programme Partnership Arrangements (PPAs) with 41 Civil Society Organisations. These arrangements began in 2011 and will continue until March 2014. No new PPAs were expected to be concluded or signed in 2012-13.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programme partnership agreements were concluded and signed by her Department with external organisations in (a) November 2012, (b) December 2012, (c) January 2013, (d) February 2013 and (e) March 2013.

Lynne Featherstone: No Programme Partnership Arrangements (PPAs) were signed by DFID between November 2012 and March 2013: DFID has PPAs with 41 Civil Society Organisations. These will continue until 31 March 2014.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total budget outturn for her Department was in each month since April 2012.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID's outturn for each month since April 2012 is available at the following Treasury link:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_coins_data.htm
	Government Departments submit expenditure information to Treasury on a monthly basis, this information is published quarterly.

World Bank

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date she plans that the UK will make its annual subscription payment to the World Bank for 2013-14.

Alan Duncan: The UK will make its annual subscription relating to the General and Selective Capital Increase of the World Bank in December 2013.